(A) Definitions of user classes. For the purpose of this subchapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
(1) “RESIDENTIAL USER.” A user who demands normal domestic usage from a single-family dwelling and where the quantity of water usage is measured by a single meter.
(2) “MULTIPLE USER.”
(a) “MULTIPLE-USER DWELLING.” A user who demands normal domestic usage from multiple-family dwellings or users, such as duplexes, apartments, trailer parks, hotels, motels and others providing transient lodging, and where the quantity of water usage is measured by a single meter.
(3) “OTHER USER.” A user, including commercial, governmental and industrial, where usage is measured by a single meter, and where the property does not qualify as a residential or multiple user, being further defined as:
(a) “COMMERCIAL USER.” Retail and wholesale establishments, or places engaged in providing merchandise for personal, household or industrial consumption, and/or rendering service to others.
(b) “INDUSTRIAL USER.” Any establishment or place engaged in the processing or production of merchandise for personal, household or industrial consumption, and/or rendering service to others.
(c) “GOVERNMENTAL USER.” A user engaged in legislative, judicial or administrative activities of federal, state and local governments, such as courthouses, police and fire stations, city halls, similar governmental users and water reseller companies.
(B) Billing methods.
(1) Residential and other users. Actual monthly usage shall be billed in accordance with the rates and charges prescribed in division (C).
(2) Multiple users. Actual monthly usage shall be utilized in calculating the monthly bill for customers which are multi-user or multi-family establishments by using the following formula:
Multi-User Bill Calculation
“Number of Equivalent Users” = EU (For multi-user accounts)
EU = Total gallons used for month/average monthly usage (average monthly usage per data from state = 4,000 gallons)
Water bill for month = (EU) x (water charge of resident using 4,000 gallons)
The water charge for 4,000 gallons shall be calculated by applying the rates and charges as prescribed in the “rates and charges” section of the Madison City Code of Ordinances.
(3) Temporary users. Water furnished to temporary users, such as contractors, festivals, circuses, and the like, shall be charged for in accordance with division (C). Unmetered usage shall be estimated by the Utility Manager, the water supervisor or the utility billing office.
(C) Water service rates and charges. There shall be and are hereby established for the use of, and the service rendered by, the City of Madison Water Utilities, the following rates and charges, based on the use of water supplied by the waterworks system and the user classes defined in division (A):
(1) Rates for metered usage per month.
Metered Consumption Per Month | Monthly Rate Per 1,000 Gallons |
First 5,000 Gallons Next 15,000 Gallons Next 30,000 Gallons Over 50,000 Gallons | $4.21 $3.64 $3.11 $2.84 |
(2) Minimum monthly charge. Each user shall pay a minimum monthly charge in accordance with the following applicable size of meter installed, for which the user will be entitled to the quantity of water set out in the metered usage per month schedule of rates:
Minimum Charge per Meter Size | Allowance | Per Month |
5/8- or 3/4-inch meter 1-inch meter 1-1/2-inch meter 2-inch meter 3-inch meter 4-inch meter 6-inch meter | 3,000 gallons 7,500 gallons 17,400 gallons 30,000 gallons 69,000 gallons 123,000 gallons 276,000 gallons | $12.63 $30.15 $66.19 $106.75 $222.91 $376.27 $810.79 |
(3) Public fire protection outside corporate limits. In addition to the charges for water used in accordance with the above rates, there shall be a surcharge to each metered user located outside the corporate limits who is afforded fire protection from a public fire hydrant.
Metered Service Surcharge | Per Month |
5/8- or 3/4-inch meter 1-inch meter 1-1/2-inch meter 2-inch meter 3-inch meter 4-inch meter 6-inch meter 8-inch meter | $3.61 $8.99 $20.88 $35.99 $82.76 $147.52 $331.03 $590.10 |
(4) Public fire protection surcharge inside corporate limits. In addition to the charges for water used in accordance with the above rates, there shall be a surcharge to each metered user located inside the corporate limits who is afforded fire protection from a public fire hydrant.
Metered Service Surcharge | Per Month |
5/8- or 3/4-inch meter 1-inch meter 1-1/2-inch meter 2-inch meter 3-inch meter 4-inch meter 6-inch meter 8-inch meter | $2.56 $6.42 $14. 86 $25.61 $58.91 $105.01 $235.61 $420.01 |
(5) Fire hydrant rental fee.
(a) A private fire hydrant fee shall be assessed only in the event that a customer has no sprinkler system.
(b) Unmetered private fire hydrants, per hydrant $679.12/year/$56.93/month.
(6) Monthly charges for private fire protection using automatic sprinklers.
Private Fire Protection (Automatic Sprinklers) | Per Month |
Service through 3-inch line Service through 4-inch line Service through 6-inch line Service through 8-inch line Service through 10-inch line Service through 12-inch line | $28.70 $56.99 $94.90 $170.91 $284.79 $426.09 |
Permanent fire protection systems and permanent fire protection apparatus, including standpipe and sprinkler connections, owned and maintained by an entity other than the city may be connected to the water distribution system where compatible, and are to be used only for fire protection and in extinguishing fires, except as otherwise expressly authorized by the city’s ordinances or the Board of Public Works. Those connections shall be made only with prior express written consent of the Water Department, and they shall be assessed and pay an annual availability charge, based on the size of the connection to the waterworks, in addition to charges for water supplied by the waterworks, which shall be charged per rates as established by city ordinance.
(Ord. 1972-40, passed 11-21-72; Am. Ord. 1981-28, passed 4-22-81; Am. Ord. 1986-2, passed 3-18-86; Am. Ord. 1986-20, passed 12-2-86; Am. Ord. 1999-20, passed 12-21-99; Am. Ord. 2006-22, passed 2-6-07; Am. Ord. 2007-15, passed 10-16-07; Am. Ord. 2008-20, passed 12-16-08; Am. Ord. 2010-13, passed 7-6-10; Am. Ord. 2022-6, passed 5-17-22; Am. Ord. 2022-10, passed 7-5-22)