5-4-2: BASIS FOR SEWER SERVICE CHARGES:
   A.   Sewer Users Served By Combined System Water Meters: There is hereby levied and assessed upon each lot, parcel of land, building or premises having a connection with the wastewater collection system and being served with water solely by the combined system a sewer service charge based, in part, on the quantity of water used, as measured by the water meter used upon the premises.
   B.   Sewer Users Served By Private Wells: If any person discharging wastewater into the public sanitary sewers procures any part or all of their water from sources other than the combined system, all or part of which is discharged into the sanitary sewers, the person shall have water meters installed, if required by the combined system, at the person’s expense for the purpose of determining the volume of water obtained from these sources. Where sewer meters are already installed, new water meters will not be required. The water meters shall be furnished by the combined system and installed under its supervision, all costs being at the expense of the person requiring the meter.
The combined system will charge for each meter a rental charge set by the combined system to compensate for the cost of furnishing and serving the meter. The rental charge shall be billed at the time the sewer service charge is billed.
   C.   Deduct Meters: If a user feels that a significant amount of metered water does not reach the sanitary sewer, the user may choose of one of the following options:
      1.   The user may request the approving authority to have such additional meters or metered services installed as are necessary to calculate the volume of water not discharged to the sanitary sewer (i.e., a “deduct” meter), or the user may request the approving authority to have a meter installed to measure the actual amount of sewage discharged to the sanitary sewer (i.e., a “sewage” meter). Requests for a second meter or metered services must be made, in writing, to the superintendent. In the event the approving authority agrees to such installations, the customer shall be charged all costs attendant thereto, including, but not limited to, a meter yoke for each meter (to be installed by a licensed plumber), meter rental (the meter shall be owned by the combined system and shall be subject to access and inspection by the Superintendent and an authorized representatives at all reasonable times) in an amount set annually by the approving authority, remote reading device(s) if necessary and labor and miscellaneous parts and supplies. No provision shall be made, nor shall any means be taken, to route water from any “deduct” meter to the customer’s general distribution system. In addition to the general penalties set forth in Chapter 1 of this Title, any violation of this subsection will result in nullification of the deduct readings and removal of the deduct water.
      2.   In the event it is physically impractical or impossible to install metering equipment, the user may request the approving authority to take such means as it deems necessary to formulate an estimate of the amount of water not being discharged into the sanitary sewerage system or, conversely, the amount of actual sewage discharged thereto.
Neither of the options set forth in this subsection shall be applicable or available to customers for “reasons” which are attendant to use of water for the filling of pools or watering of lawns and outdoor greenery.
   D.   Basis For Wastewater Service Charges: The wastewater service charge for the use of and for service supplied by the wastewater facilities of the Town shall consist of a basic user charge for operation and maintenance.
      1.   The basic sewer user charge shall be based on water usage as recorded by water meters and/or sewage meters for wastes having the following normal domestic concentrations:
         a.   A five (5) day, twenty degree Celsius (20 C) biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of two hundred fifty milligrams per liter (250 mg/l).
         b.   A suspended solids (SS) content of two hundred fifty milligrams per liter (250 mg/l).
         c.   An ammonia nitrogen concentration of sixteen milligrams per liter (16 mg/l).
      2.   It shall consist of operation and maintenance costs plus replacement and shall be computed as follows:
         a.   Estimate wastewater volume, pounds of SS, pounds of BOD, pounds of ammonia nitrogen.
         b.   Estimate the number of sewer users.
         c.   Estimate the projected annual revenue required to operate and maintain the wastewater facilities, including a replacement fund for the year, for all work categories.
         d.   Proportion the estimated operation, maintenance and replacement (OM&R) costs to wastewater facility categories by volume, suspended solids, BOD, ammonia nitrogen and fixed costs.
         e.   Compute costs per one thousand (1,000) gallons for normal sewage strength.
         f.   Compute surcharge costs per pound per one thousand (1,000) gallons in excess of normal sewage strength for BOD and SS.
         g.   Compute fixed charge by dividing the total fixed costs by the number of users.
   E.   Reassignment Of Sewer Users: The approving authority will reassign sewer users into appropriate sewer service charge categories if wastewater sampling programs or other related information indicate a change of categories is necessary.
   F.   Disposition Of Septic Tank Sludge And Holding Tank Sewage:
      1.   Permit Requirements: No person in the business of gathering and disposing of septic tank sludge or holding tank sewage shall transfer such material into any disposal area or public sewer, unless a written permit for disposal has been first obtained from the Superintendent and the MWRD. Written application for this permit shall be made to the Superintendent and shall state the name and address of the applicant, the number of its disposal units and the make, model and license number of each unit. Permits shall be nontransferable except in the case of replacement of the disposal unit for which a permit shall have been originally issued. The permit may be obtained upon payment of a fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00) per calendar year. The time and place of disposal will be designated by the approving authority. The approving authority may impose such conditions as it deems necessary on any permit granted.
The approving authority may impose such conditions as it deems necessary on any permit granted.
      2.   Insurance Required: Any person or part disposing of septic tank sludge or holding tank sewage agrees to carry public liability insurance in an amount not less than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) to protect any and all persons or property from injury and/or damage caused in any way or manner by any act, or the failure to act, by the person or party and any of its employees. The person(s) shall furnish a certificate certifying such insurance to be in full force and effect.
      3.   Discharges Regulated: All materials disposed of into the treatment system shall be of domestic origin, or compatible pollutants only, and the person(s) agrees that he will comply with the provisions of any and all applicable ordinances of the Town and shall not deposit or drain any gasoline, oil, acid, alkali, grease, rags, waste, volatile or flammable liquids or other deleterious substances into the public sewers nor allow any earth, sand or other solid material to pass into any part of the wastewater treatment facilities.
      4.   Nonliability Of Town: The person(s) disposing wastes agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Town from any and all liability and claims for damages arising out of or resulting from work and labor performed.
   G.   Charge For Toxic Pollutants: Any person discharging toxic pollutants which cause an increase in the cost of managing the effluent or sludge from the Town’s wastewater treatment facility shall pay for such increased costs as may be determined by the approving authority. (Ord. SWO-89-1, 8-8-1989; amd. Ord. SWO-2022-1, 2-8-2022; Ord. TO-2022-13, 9-13-2022)