A. Authority: The common council shall have the authority to establish and collect a sewer service charge for the use of the utility's sewerage system.
B. Classes Of Users:
1. The following user classes are established:
a. Residential.
b. Commercial and institutional.
c. Industrial.
2. All users will pay at the residential rate, plus the appropriate surcharges.
C. Method Of Computing: The sewer utility shall determine the yearly cost of operation and maintenance of the wastewater treatment facility, the total flow-BOD-suspended solids- phosphorus treated by the facility and resulting flow-BOD- suspended solids-phosphorus unit rates. To these expenses, the utility shall add their expenses to debt, operation, maintenance, and equipment replacement of the sewerage system and the cost of billing and collecting, and then determine total sewer service charge for each user of the system. The service charge shall be based on water or wastewater meter readings, when available. When such meter readings are unavailable, the service charges will be a flat charge based on the estimate of usage for the unmetered users. This estimate shall be fifteen thousand (15,000) gallons per quarter. Where the flat charge must be used, it will be paid for the full quarter and shall not be prorated. If service should be interrupted for any full quarter, only the minimum charge will be charged. The flat charge will be adopted by resolution of the common council.
D. Debt Service Charge: All charges for debts on the existing sewerage system and the debts incurred by the utility for construction of the sewerage system shall be paid for by a debt service charge which is a part of the total sewer service charge. The amount of this surcharge will be reviewed annually and adopted by resolution of the common council.
E. Minimum Charge: The minimum charge per user shall be comprised of the cost of billing, collecting and accounting, meter reading expense, collection system maintenance, administrative and general salaries, transportation, office supplies and expenses, miscellaneous general expense, and office rent, to be paid for each connection for the availability of service. This charge will be made regardless of use of user and shall be adopted by resolution of the common council.
F. User Charge: The user charge for the residential user class for discharging domestic wastewater shall be based on a minimum annual charge per user and on the volume used by each user. The amount of this charge will be reviewed annually and adopted by resolution or action of the common council.
G. Replacement Fund: A distinct replacement fund shall be established by the utility. The replacement fund is for replacing existing equipment and accessories necessary to maintain the capacity and performance during the service life of the treatment facility, future wastewater treatment facility modifications required by changes in the WPDES permit, and replacing structures and equipment beyond their useful service life.
H. Surcharges:
1. The commercial and institutional class of users shall be charged at the residential user rate and such additional surcharges as established by resolution of the common council.
2. The industrial user class of users shall be charged at the residential user rate, plus a surcharge, as established by resolution of the common council.
3. Users discharging toxic pollutants shall pay for any increased operation, maintenance and replacement costs.
4. Septage dischargers will be charged at the residential user rate, plus any applicable surcharges for BOD concentrations in excess of two hundred thirty seven milligrams per liter (237 mg/l), suspended solids concentrations in excess of two hundred fifteen milligrams per liter (215 mg/l), and phosphorus concentrations in excess of seven milligrams per liter (7 mg/l). State average concentrations may be used in lieu of testing for fee determination.
I. Total Sewer Service Charge: The total sewer service charge shall be the sum of the minimum charge, user charge, debt service charge and any applicable surcharges.
J. Methods Of Metering Sewerage:
1. Water meter readings shall be used to determine the actual volume of water used. Sewage volume for computing the service charge for residential accounts shall be considered to be one hundred percent (100%) of the metered water consumption during the fourth and first billing quarters, and the average of one hundred percent (100%) of the metered water consumption of the preceding two (2) quarters for the second and third billing quarters. In no case shall the volume for computing the charge exceed one hundred percent (100%) of the actual metered water consumption. If, because of interruption of occupancy or other reason, there is substantial inaccuracy in the imputed volume for second and third billing quarters, the utility may use one hundred percent (100%) of actual metered water consumption as the basis for service charge.
2. Sewage volume for computing the service charge for commercial, industrial and public authority customers shall be considered to be one hundred percent (100%) of the metered water consumption during the billing quarter. Upon presentation of evidence that a substantial amount of the metered water consumption is not discharged into the sanitary sewer, the utility may adjust the imputed volume for computing service charge.
3. Customers operating their own water supply system but discharging to the sewerage system shall, at their own expense, provide and install a meter which is accessible during working hours by city personnel. All costs of providing, installing and maintaining said metering system shall be borne by the customer, and the system shall be maintained to the utility's standards.
4. Where it is not possible to compute an accurate sewer bill due to one of the following reasons, the charge will be computed as follows:
a. Meter failure: Charge same as previous quarter.
b. No meter: Charge fifteen thousand (15,000) gallons per quarter.
c. New customer at old service: Charge one hundred thirty five (135) gallons per day times the number of days of occupancy, or the actual reading if read within five (5) days of initial occupancy.
K. Billing Periods: The bill will be payable in accordance with the schedule established by the utility. These bills are payable in four (4) quarterly payments each year.
L. Due Date: All portions of the service charges shall be payable at the time the bill for the same is issued.
M. Late Penalties: Charges levied in accordance with this chapter shall be a debt due to the utility and shall be a lien upon the property. If this debt is not paid within twenty (20) days after it is due and payable, it shall be deemed delinquent, and a penalty equal to the rate established by the Wisconsin public service commission shall be added to the bill. This debt may then be recovered by civil action in the name of the city against the property owner, the person, or both. If payment is not received prior to November 15, the delinquent bill will be forwarded to the county for placement on the succeeding tax roll.
N. Failure To Pay:
1. In the event of failure to pay sewer service charges after they become delinquent, the utility shall have the right to remove or close sewer connections and enter upon the property for accomplishing such purposes.
2. The expense of such removal or closing, as well as the expense of restoring service, shall likewise be a debt to the city and a lien upon the property, and may be recovered by civil action in the name of the city against the property owner, the person, or both.
3. Sewer service shall not be restored until all charges, including the expense of removal, closing and restoration, shall have been paid.
4. Change of ownership or occupancy of premises found delinquent shall not be cause for reducing or eliminating these penalties.
O. Audit Of General Account:
1. The utility shall conduct an annual audit, the purpose of which shall be to maintain the proportionality and adequacy of the sewer service charge relative to changing system operation, maintenance and debt service costs. Any excess revenues collected from a user class shall be attributed to that class when determining the next year's charge system.
2. Users will be notified annually of the charges attributable to wastewater treatment services. (1975 Code Ch. 5 § III)