(A) General powers of the Department. The Department shall have exclusive departmental jurisdiction over the collection and conveyance of storm water within the city and the combined sewers in the city, and shall possess the following general powers:
(1) Install, maintain and operate the storm water collection and conveyance system and the combined sewers of the city;
(2) Make all necessary or desirable improvements to the storm water collection and conveyance system and the combined sewers of the city (including all appropriate actions taken with respect to sewer separation), and, when determined to be the best interests of the city, to acquire or otherwise assume jurisdiction over any other improvements or facilities relating to the control of storm water collection an conveyance currently owned or under the jurisdiction of other parties;
(3) Establish and enforce the rules, regulations, policies and procedures promulgated by the Department as the same may be approved by the Board of Storm Water Management and, if appropriate, the Common Council of the city;
(4) Hold hearings and make findings and determinations to carry out the policies and procedures of the Department with respect to the use of the storm water system by the users thereof and the proper rates and changes imposed on such users; and
(5) Recommend to the Board of Storm Water Management and the Common Council of the city reasonable and just rates and charges for services to the users of the storm water collection and conveyance system and combined sewers of the city.
(B) Board of Storm Water Management. The Department, through the Director, shall report directly to the Board of Storm Water Management of the city. The Board of Storm Water Management shall perform all necessary administrative policy-making oversight of the operations of the Department.
(C) Storm water system jurisdiction. It is the intent of this chapter to vest in the Department the full and exclusive departmental jurisdiction over the collection and conveyance of storm water within the city. Notwithstanding anything in this subchapter to the contrary, the Board of Sanitary Commissioners shall continue to levy annually the special benefits tax authorized under I.C. 36-9-25 in an amount sufficient to pay all debt service on outstanding bonds of the Sanitary District for each respective year until final retirement of all outstanding bonds of the Sanitary District.
(Prior Code, § 59.04)