(a) Step one.
(1) Schedule I.
A. Applicability. Applicable within the entire territory served.
B. Availability. Available for domestic, commercial, industrial (except unusual industrial wastes) and resale sewer service.
C. Rates.
First 4,000 gallons used per month | $8.35 per 1,000 gallons |
Next 6,000 gallons used per month | $8.05 per l,000 gallons |
Next 80,000 gallons used per month | $7.20 per 1,000 gallons |
All over 100,000 gallons used per month | $6.80 per 1,000 gallons |
D. Minimum charge (customers with a metered water supply). Each customer shall pay a minimum charge of $20.85 per month (equivalent to 2,500 gallons of water usage).
E. Flat-rate charge (customers with a non-metered water supply). Each customer shall pay a minimum charge of $37.40 per month (equivalent to 4,000 gallons of water usage).
F. Delayed payment penalty. The above schedule is net. On all accounts not paid in full when due, 10% will be added to the net current amount unpaid. This delayed payment penalty is not interest and is to be collected only once for each bill where it is appropriate.
G. Sewer service connection charge.
1. Three hundred fifty dollars.
2. The following charges are to be made whenever the utility installs a new tap to serve an applicant:
a. A tap fee of $150 will be charged to customers applying for service before construction is completed adjacent to the customer’s premises in connection with a certificate proceeding before the Commission. This pre-construction tap fee will be invalid after the completion of construction adjacent to an applicant’s premises that is associated with a certificate proceeding;
b. A tap fee of $350, or the actual cost of the connection (solely determined by the Utility), whichever is greater, will be charged to all customers who apply for service outside of a certificate proceeding before the Commission for each new tap to the system.
H. Returned check charge. Twenty-five dollars. A service charge of $25 will be imposed upon any customer whose check for payment of charges is returned by the bank for any reason.
I. Disconnect charge/reconnection charge/administrative fee.
1. Water service will not be restored until all past sewer bills have been paid in full and all accrued penalties plus a disconnection charge of $25 have been paid.
2. There shall be a $25 reconnection charge paid prior to restoration of water service which has been previously disconnected for any reason. In the event that utility staff or agents collect money at the customer’s residence in order to stop disconnection, an administrative fee of $25 shall be paid in addition to other charges to prevent disconnection.
J. Incremental costs. An amount not to exceed $5 per 1,000 gallons is to be used when a bill reflects unusual consumption which can be attributed to eligible leakage on the customer’s side of the meter. This rate shall be applied to all such consumption above the customer’s historical average usage. The utility shall establish a non-discriminatory policy regarding this provision for leak adjustments.
K. EFT, ACH, credit card and drop box payments. A service charge will be imposed on EFT, ACH, credit card or drop box payments. The amount shall be equal to the actual charges to the Utility from the financial institution for processing payment.
L. Customer deposits.
1. As of the date of passage, the applicable provision of W.Va. Code § 16-13-16(e):
“The governing body may collect from all new applicants for service a deposit of $50 or two-twelfths of the average annual usage of the applicant’s specific customer class, whichever is greater, to secure the payment of service rates, fees and charges in the event they become delinquent as provided in this section. In any case where a deposit is forfeited to pay service rates, fees and charges which were delinquent at the time of disconnection or termination of service, service may not be reconnected or reinstated by the governing body until another deposit equal to $50 or a sum equal to two twelfths of the average usage for the applicant’s specific customer class, whichever is greater, is remitted to the governing body. After 12 months of prompt payment history, the governing body shall return the deposit to the customer or credit the customer’s account with interest at a rate as the Public Service Commission may prescribe; provided, that where the customer is a tenant, the governing body is not required to return the deposit until the time the tenant discontinues service with the governing body. Whenever any rates, fees, rentals or charges for services or facilities furnished remain unpaid for a period of twenty days after they become due, the user of the services and facilities provided is delinquent The user is liable until all rates, fees and charges are fully paid. The governing body may, under reasonable rules promulgated by the Public Service Commission, shut off and discontinue water services to a delinquent user of sewer facilities ten days after the sewer services become delinquent regardless of whether the governing body utilizes the security deposit to satisfy any delinquent payments; provided, however, that nothing contained within the rules of the Public Service Commission shall be deemed to require any agents or employees of the governing body to accept payment at the customer’s premises in lieu of discontinuing service for a delinquent bill.”
2. a. As of the date of passage, the applicable provision of the PSC Sewer Rules, Rule 4.2.a.1:
“... For a municipal sewer system only, the deposit shall not be more than either fifty dollars ($50) or two-twelfths (2/12) of the average annual usage of the applicant’s specific customer class, whichever is greater. ..”
b. This tariff in accordance with the above cited statutory language and PSC sewer rules produces a security deposit of $74.80 (based an average residential usage of 4,000 gpm x two months) for residential customers. All other classes of customers will have their require deposit calculated in accordance with the above language in regards to average usage.
(2) Schedule II: surcharge formula to be applied in cases where surface drainage is connected to the utility’s sanitary sewer system.
A. 1. Wherever the Utility has discovered that a customer’s roof drain, down spouts, storm sewer or other similar facilities conducting surface water have been connected to the Utility’s sewer system, and such customer has failed to take appropriate action within 30 days of receipt of a demand by the Utility, in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Public Service Commission, to eliminate such connection, a surcharge will be imposed upon the customer calculated on the basis of the following formula:
S = A x R x .0006233 x C
S = The surcharge in dollars;
A = The area under roof and/or the area of any other water collection surface connected to the sanitary sewer, in square feet;
R = The measured monthly rainfall in inches
.0006233 = The conversion factor to change inches of rain x square feet of surface to thousand gallon of water; and
C = The Utility’s approved rate per thousand gallons of metered water usage.
2. The Utility shall not impose the surcharge unless and until the customer has been notified by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by hand delivery, that it has been established by smoke testing, dye testing or on-site inspection that rain or other surface water is being introduced into the sanitary sewer system at the customer’s location, and that the customer has not acted within 30 days from receipt of such notice to divert the water from the sanitary sewer system.
3. Said surcharge shall be calculated and imposed for each month that said condition continues to exist. Failure to pay the surcharge and/or correct the situation shall give rise to the possible termination of water service in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the Public Service Commission of the state.
(3) Schedule III: surcharge formula to be applied in the cases of users producing unusual waste.
A. The charge for the treatment of industrial waste will be calculated on the basis of the following formula:
Ci = VoVi + BoBi + SoSi
Ci = Charge to unusual users per year;
Vo = Average unit cost of transport and treatment chargeable to volume, in dollars per gallon;
Vi = Volume of wastewater from unusual users in gallons per year;
Bo = Average unit cost of treatment, chargeable to biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in dollars per pound;
Bi = Weight of BOD from unusual users in pounds per year;
So = Average unit cost of treatment (including sludge treatment) chargeable to total solids in dollars per pound; and
Si = Weight of total solids from unusual users in pounds per year.
B. When an unusual user is to be served, a preliminary study of its wastes, and the cost of transport and treatment thereof, will be made. Waste containing materials which, in the judgment of the city, should not be introduced into the sewer system need not be handled by it. The results of this preliminary study will be used to determine the feasibility of the proposed sewer service and the charge therefor, based upon the formula set out above.
C. Thereafter, unusual sewage will be monitored on a regular basis and at the conclusion of each fiscal year, based on the investigation aforesaid and audit of the city records, new cost figures will be calculated for use in the above formula.
D. The cost of establishing the monitoring facilities shall be paid by the unusual user. Based on these audited figures, additional billings covering the past fiscal year will be made for payment by each unusual user, or refund given by the city, as the case may be.
E. Such audited figures will then be used for the preliminary billing for the next fiscal year, at the end of which an adjustment will be made as aforesaid.
(4) Schedule IV: Applicable inside and outside of the limits of the utility. Where the amount of sanitary sewage discharged into the Utility’s wastewater collection and/or transmission and/or treatment system by certain industrial plant or plants cannot be accurately determined by the use of the plant’s water meter or meters, and the said plant cannot install a flow meter to measure such waste, a special formula will be used whereby such plant or plants will pay to the Utility a sewer charge calculated et 50 gallons of water per each employee at the plant each working day.
(5) Schedule V.
A. Applicability. Applicable within the entire territory served.
B. Availability. Available for wastewater and leachate haulers.
C. Septic tank cleaning service registration permit fee. For each septic tank cleaning business which uses the city’s sanitation system there will be an annual registration/permit fee of $125. In addition, the dumping fee will be the commodity charge below due to the concentrated nature of the haulings.
D. Rates: commodity charge. Each customer shall pay a commodity charge of $40 per 1,000 gallons per load. Load will be the actual capacity of the truck or other transport method delivering wastewater and leachate. Actual capacity shall be determined, or verified solely, by the Utility.
E. Delayed payment penalty. The above schedule is net. On all current usage billings not paid in full when due, 10% will be added to the net current amount unpaid. This delayed payment penalty is not interest and is to be collected only once for each bill where it is appropriate.
F. Returned check charge. A service charge of $25 will be imposed upon any customer whose check for payment of charges is returned by the bank for any reason.
(b) Step 2: effective one year from the date of implementation of Step 1 rates set forth above.
(1) Schedule I.
A. Applicability. Applicable within the entire territory served.
B. Availability. Available for domestic, commercial, industrial (except unusual industrial waste) and resale sewer service.
C. Rates.
First 4,000 gallons used per month | $10.40 per 1,000 gallons |
Next 6,000 gallons used per month | $9.80 per 1,000 gallons |
Next 90,000 gallons used per month | $8.75 per 1,000 gallons |
All over 100,000 gallons used per month | $8.40 per 1,000 gallons |
D. Minimum charge (customers with a metered water supply). Each customer shall pay a minimum charge of $26 per month (equivalent to 2,500 gallons of water usage).
E. Flat-rate charge (customers with a non-metered water supply). Each customer shall pay a minimum charge of $41.60 per month (equivalent to 4,000 gallons of water usage).
F. Delayed payment penalty. The above schedule is net. On all accounts not paid in full when due, 10% will be added to the net current amount unpaid. This delayed payment penalty is not interest and is to be collected only once for each bill where it Is appropriate.
G. Sewer service connection charge.
1. Three hundred fifty dollars.
2. The following charges are to be made whenever the Utility installs a new tap to serve an applicant:
a. A tap fee of $150 will be charged to customers applying for service before construction is completed adjacent to the customer’s premises in connection with a certificate proceeding before the Commission. This pre-construction tap fee will be invalid after the completion of construction adjacent to an applicant’s premises that is associated with a certificate proceeding; and
b. A tap fee of $350, or the actual cost of the connection (solely determined by the Utility), whichever is greater, will be charged to all customers who apply for service outside of a certificate proceeding before the Commission for each new tap to the system.
H. Returned check charge. $25. A service charge of $25 will be imposed upon any customer whose check for payment of charges is returned by the bank for any reason.
I. Disconnect charge/reconnection charge/administrative fee.
1. Water service will not be restored until all past sewer bills have been paid in full and all accrued penalties plus a disconnection charge of $25 have been paid.
2. There shall be a $25 reconnection charge paid prior to restoration of water service which has been previously disconnected for any reason. In the event that Utility staff or agents collect money at the customer’s residence in order to stop disconnection, an administrative fee of $25 shall be paid in addition to other charges to prevent disconnection.
J. Incremental costs. An amount not to exceed $5 per 1,000 gallons is to be used when a bill reflects unusual consumption which can be attributed to eligible leakage on the customer’s side of the meter. This rate shall be applied to all such consumption above the customer’s historical average usage. The Utility shall establish a non-discriminatory policy regarding this provision for leak adjustments.
K. EFT, ACH, credit card and drop box payments. A service charge will be imposed on EFT, ACH, credit card or drop box payments. The amount shall be equal to the actual charges to the Utility from the financial institution for processing payment.
L. Customer deposits.
1. As of the date of passage, the applicable provision of W.Va. Code § 16-13-16(e):
“The governing body may collect from all new applicants for service a deposit of $50 or two-twelfths of the average annual usage of the applicant’s specific customer class, whichever is greater, to secure the payment of service rates, fees and charges in the event they become delinquent as provided in this section, in any case where a deposit is forfeited to pay service rates, fees and charges which were delinquent at the time of disconnection or termination of service, service may not be reconnected or reinstated by the governing body until another deposit equal to $50 or a sum equal to two- twelfths of the average usage for the applicant’s specific customer class, whichever is greater, is remitted to the governing body. After twelve months of prompt payment history, the governing body shall return the deposit to the customer or credit the customer’s account with interest at a rate as the Public Service Commission may prescribe; provided, that where the customer is a tenant, the governing body Is not required to return the deposit until the time the tenant discontinues service with the. governing body. Whenever any rates, fees, rentals or charges for services or facilities furnished remain unpaid for a period of twenty days after they become due, the user of the services and facilities provided is delinquent The user is liable until all rates, fees and charges are fully paid. The governing body may, under reasonable rules promulgated by the Public Service Commission, shut off and discontinue water services to a delinquent user of sewer facilities ten days after the sewer services become delinquent regardless of whether the governing body utilizes the security deposit to satisfy any delinquent payments; provided, however, that nothing contained within the rules of the Public Service Commission shall be deemed to require any agents or employees of the governing body to accept payment at the customer’s premises in lieu of discontinuing service for a delinquent bill.”
2. As of the date of passage, the applicable provision of the PSC Sewer Rules, Rule 4.2.8.1:
“. . For a municipal sewer system only, the deposit shall not be more than either fifty dollars ($50) or two-twelfths (2/12) of the average annual usage of the applicant’s specific customer class, whichever is greater. ..”
3. This tariff in accordance with the above cited statutory language and PSC sewer rules produces a security deposit of $83.20 (based on average residential usage of 4,000 gpm x two months) for residential customers. All other classes of customers will have their require deposit calculated in accordance with the above language In regards to average usage.
(2) Schedule II: surcharge formula to be applied in cases where surface drainage is connected to the utility’s sanitary sewer system.
A. Wherever the Utility has discovered that a customer’s roof drain, down spouts, storm sewer or other similar facilities conducting surface water have been connected to the Utility’s sewer system, and such customer has failed to take appropriate action within 30 days of receipt of a demand by the Utility, in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Public Service Commission, to eliminate such connection, a surcharge will be imposed upon the customer calculated on the basis of the following formula:
S = A x R x .0006233 x C
S = The surcharge in dollars;
A = The area under roof and/or the area of any other water collection surface connected to the sanitary sewer, in square feet;
R = The measured monthly rainfall in inches;
.0006233 = The conversion factor to change inches of rain x square feet of surface to thousand gallon of water; and
C = The Utility’s approved rate per thousand gallons of metered water usage.
B. The Utility shall not impose the surcharge unless and until the customer has been notified by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by hand delivery, that it has been established by smoke testing, dye testing or on-site inspection that rain or other surface water is being introduced into the sanitary sewer system at the customer’s location, and that the customer has not acted within 30 days from receipt of such notice to divert the water from the sanitary sewer system.
C. Said surcharge shall be calculated and imposed for each month that said condition continues to exist. Failure to pay the surcharge and/or correct the situation shall give rise to the possible termination of water service in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the Public Service Commission of the state.
(3) Schedule III: surcharge formula to be applied in the cases of users producing unusual waste.
A. The charge for the treatment of industrial waste will be calculated on the basis of the following formula:
Ci = VoVi + BoBi + SoSi
Ci = Charge to unusual users per year;
Vo = Average unit cost of transport and treatment chargeable to volume, in dollars per gallon;
Vi = Volume of wastewater from unusual users in gallons per year;
Bo = Average unit cost of treatment, chargeable to biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in dollars per pound;
Bi = Weight of BOD from unusual users in pounds per year;
So = Average unit cost of treatment (including sludge treatment) chargeable to total solids in dollars per pound; and
Si = Weight of total solids from unusual users In pounds per year.
B. When an unusual user is to be served, a preliminary study of its wastes, and the cost of transport and treatment thereof, will be made. Waste containing materials which, in the judgment of the city, should not be introduced into the sewer system need not be handled by it. The results of this preliminary study will be used to determine the feasibility of the proposed sewer service and the charge therefor, based upon the formula set out above.
C. Thereafter, unusual sewage will be monitored on a regular basis and at the conclusion of each fiscal year, based on the investigation aforesaid and audit of the city records, new cost figures will be calculated for use in the above formula. The cost of establishing the monitoring facilities shall be paid by the unusual user. Based on these audited figures, additional billings covering the past fiscal year will be made for payment by each unusual user, or refund given by the city, as the case may be. Such audited figures will then be used for the preliminary billing for the next fiscal year, at the end of which an adjustment will be made as aforesaid.
(4) Schedule IV: applicable inside and outside of the limits of the utility. Where the amount of sanitary sewage discharged into the Utility’s wastewater collection and/or transmission and/or treatment system by certain industrial plant or plants cannot be accurately determined by the use of the plant’s water meter or meters, and the said plant cannot install a flow meter to measure such waste, a special formula will be used whereby such plant or plants will pay to the Utility a sewer charge calculated at 50 gallons of water per each employee at the plant each working day.
(5) Schedule V.
A. Applicability. Applicable within the entire territory served.
B. Availability. Available for wastewater and leachate haulers.
C. Septic tank cleaning service registration permit fee. For each septic tank cleaning business which uses the city’s sanitation system there will be an annual registration/permit fee of $125. In addition, the dumping fee will be the commodity charge below due to the concentrated nature of the haulings.
D. Rates: commodity charge. Each customer shall pay a commodity charge of $40 per 1,000 gallons per load. Load will be the actual capacity of the truck or other transport method delivering wastewater and leachate. Actual capacity shall be determined, or verified solely, by the Utility.
E. Delayed payment penalty. The above schedule is net on all current usage billings not paid in full when due, 10% will be added to the net current amount unpaid. This delayed payment penalty is not interest and is to be collected only once for each bill where it is appropriate.
F. Returned check charge. A service charge of $25 will be imposed upon any customer whose check for payment of charges is returned by the bank for any reason.
(Ord. passed 8-7-2012)