For the use of and the service rendered by the sewage facility of the city, rates and charges to be collected from the owner of each and every lot, parcel of real estate, or building that is connected with the city sanitary system or otherwise discharges sanitary sewage, industrial wastes, water, or other liquids, either directly or indirectly, into the sanitary sewage system of the city. Such rates and charges include user charges, debt service costs, excessive strength surcharges, and other service charges, which rates and charges shall be payable as hereinafter provided and shall be in an amount determinable as follows:
(A) The sewage rates and charges shall be based on the quantity of water used on or in the property or premises subject to such rates and charges, as the same is measured by the water meter there in use, plus a base charge based on the size of the water meter installed, except as herein otherwise provided. Water meters will be read once each month, and sewage service bills shall be rendered once each month (or period equaling a month). The water usage schedule on which the amount of the rates and charges shall be determined is as follows for each user class and which rates and charges shall be implemented in three phases as follows:
Phase I | Commencing June 16, 2015 through and including December 2014 |
Phase II | Commencing January 1, 2015 through and including December 31, 2015 |
Phase III | Commencing January 1, 2016 and continuing thereafter |
(1) Treatment rate as follows:
User Class | Per 100 Cu. Ft. User Charge | ||
Phase I | Phase II | Phase III | |
Class I Residential | $3.62 | $4.27 | $5.04 |
Class II Commercial, Governmental, Institutional | $3.35 | $3.95 | $4.66 |
Class III Industrial | $3.28 | $3.87 | $4.57 |
(2) Base rate as follows for Classes I, II, and III:
Size of Meter | Monthly Base Rates User Charge | ||
Phase I | Phase II | Phase III | |
Size of Meter | Monthly Base Rates User Charge | ||
Phase I | Phase II | Phase III | |
5/8-inch water meter | $22.45 | $26.50 | $31.30 |
3/4-inch water meter | $22.45 | $26.50 | $31.30 |
1-inch water meter | $55.85 | $65.90 | $77.85 |
1-1/4-inch water meter | $88.95 | $105.00 | $124.05 |
1-1/2-inch water meter | $129.00 | $152.25 | $179.85 |
2-inch water meter | $222.00 | $262.00 | $309.45 |
3-inch water meter | $510.00 | $601.80 | $710.75 |
4-inch water meter | $909.20 | $1,072.90 | $1,267.10 |
6-inch water meter | $2,039.65 | $2,406.80 | $2,842.45 |
8-inch water meter | $3,677.10 | $4,339.00 | $5,124.40 |
(3) Unmetered charge per month:
Phase I | Phase II | Phase II |
$89.50 | $105.61 | $124.73 |
(4) Excessive strength surcharges as follows:
Rate Per Pound of Excess
| |||
Phase I | Phase II | Phase III | |
Biochemical oxygen demand in excess of 200 mg/l | $0.55 | $0.65 | $0.77 |
Suspended solids in excess of 250 mg/l | 0.44 | 0.52 | 0.61 |
Phosphorus in excess of 10 mg/l | 4.39 | 5.18 | 6.12 |
Oil and grease in excess of 100 mg/l | 0.53 | 0.63 | 0.74 |
(5) After hours charge. In the event a customer requires service during hours other than the normal business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) a charge shall be made to the customer of not less than $40 or greater than $200 for each such call. The amount is to be determined by the cost of labor to the utility for the call.
(6) Bad check charge. All checks returned to the utility due to insufficient funds in the customer’s account shall result in a charge to that customer of $30.00.
(7) Collection or deferred payment charges. All bills for sewage services not paid within two business days of the due date thereof, shall be subject to a collection or deferred payment charge of 10% on the first $3 and 3% on the excess over $3. The due date is 15 days after the billing date. Further, the delinquent customer shall be liable for the costs of collection, including but not limited to, reasonable attorney fees and court costs.
(8) Connection charge. A connection charge shall be made for all connections to the city wastewater collection system. The collection charge shall be $1,200 for each connection.
(9) User fee. A user fee shall be charged for the reconnection of service. The charge to the individual customer for reconnection of sewage service is $25.
(10) Septic haulers and travel trailers.
Septic haulers Per 100 gallons |
Phase I | Phase II | Phase III |
$9.44 | $11.14 | $13.16 |
Travel Trailers - flat fee |
Phase I | Phase II | Phase III |
1-100 gallons | $9.44 | $11.14 | $13.16 |
101-200 gallons | $18.88 | $22.28 | $26.32 |
201-300 gallons | $28.32 | $33.42 | $39.48 |
(11) Debt service charge. Implement a debt service surcharge to be paid by the ratepayers served by the project for $33.18 per month.
(a) The ratepayers served by the Project will also be subject to the City's schedule of sewage rates and charges now in effect in the rate ordinance and city code, as amended from time to time. The debt service surcharge shall apply to all billing periods following the earlier of the completion of the Project or the date which is six months prior to the first debt service payment date on the bonds.
(b) For ratepayers who voluntarily connect to the Project, the connection fee shall be waived. For ratepayers in which the City must take action to force connection to the Project pursuant to IC 36-9-23, the full connection fee as set forth in the City Code shall apply.
(B) Services rendered to the city. The city shall be subject to the same rates and charges hereinabove provided, or to charges and rates established in harmony therewith.
(C) Periodic legislative rate review. In hopes of minimizing the possibility of infrequent but higher rate increases and the resulting “rate shock” to the ratepayer, the Board of Public Works shall provide the City Council with a rate study showing the financial condition of the utility and a recommendation regarding the rates charged no less than every four years. The next such study shall be provided on or before June 30, 2018. Thereafter, reports shall be reviewed by Council on the 30th day of June, every four years.
(D) An additional charge shall be imposed for users of the city’s sewage works located outside the corporate limits of the city in the amount of 14.5% of the billing, calculated by applying the 14.5% surcharge to each of the rates established above.
(E) Collection or deferred payment charges. All bills for sewage service not paid within two business days of the due date thereof, shall be subject to collection or deferred payment charge of 10%. The due date is 15 days after the billing date. Further, the delinquent customer shall be liable for the cost of collections, including but not limited to reasonable attorney fees and court costs.
(‘80 Code, § 24-89) (Ord. 2228, passed 5-l-78; Am. Ord. 2395,passed 5-4-81; Am. Ord. 2402, passed 7-20-81; Am. Ord. 2520, passed 5-7-84; Am. Ord. 2615, passed 3-3-86; Am. Ord. 2748, passed 4-17-89; Am. Ord. 2865, passed 5-18-92; Am. Ord. 3260, passed 3-19-01; Am. Ord. 3454, passed 12-19-05; Am. Ord. 3585, passed 12-7-09; Am. Ord. 3698, passed 7-7-14; Am. Ord. 3765, passed 4-17-17; Am. Ord. 3786, passed 7-16-18; Am. Ord. 3820, passed 11-4-19)