(a) All users in the Summit County Metropolitan Sewer District shall be charged for sewage disposal services in accordance with the methodology contained in this chapter.
(Ord. 2007-630. Adopted 12-17-07.)
(b) Effective January 1, 2022. Users whose water consumption is measured by meter readings provided to the County or whose sewage flows are metered shall pay the following monthly rates for all normal strength sewage or wastewater discharged into the County's sewage disposal system per the following schedule:
User Charges - Metered Customers ($ per 100 Cubic Feet of Water) | ||||
Charge - Residential, Government, Institutional | ||||
January 1, 2022 | January 1, 2023 | January 1, 2024 | January 1, 2025 | January 1, 2026 |
$7.74 | $8.98 | $9.65 | $10.28 | $10.94 |
Charge - Commercial | ||||
$8.63 | $10.01 | $10.76 | $11.46 | $12.21 |
Charge - Industrial | ||||
$9.88 | $11.47 | $12.32 | $13.13 | $13.98 |
(c) Effective January 1, 2022, except as otherwise specified in this section, users whose water consumption is not measured by meter readings provided to the County shall pay the following monthly flat rates per unit or benefit. The flat rate for residential customers shall be on a per unit basis. Under unique conditions, the Director may utilize a benefit basis charge for multi-family residential uses. Industrial, commercial, governmental, and institutional users shall be charged on a per benefit basis, subject to a minimum charge of one (1) benefit, for all normal strength sewage or wastewater discharged into the County's sewage disposal system according to the Director's determination of flow:
User Charges - Flat Rate Customers ($ per Month) | ||||
Charge - Residential (Per Residential Unit) | ||||
January 1, 2022 | January 1, 2023 | January 1, 2024 | January 1, 2025 | January 1, 2026 |
$56.03 | $56.03 | $60.23 | $64.15 | $68.32 |
Charge - Government & Institutional (Per Benefit) | ||||
$65.00 | $75.39 | $81.05 | $86.32 | $91.93 |
Charge - Commercial (Per Benefit) | ||||
$80.47 | $93.34 | $100.35 | $106.87 | $113.81 |
Charge - Industrial (Per Benefit) | ||||
$92.32 | $107.10 | $115.13 | $122.61 | $130.58 |
(d) The Director of the Department of Sanitary Sewer Services shall follow the sewage flow guidelines set forth by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency's Greenbook, as amended, for estimating sewage flow gallons per day.
(e) The user charges shall be reviewed no less than biennially in accordance with applicable Federal regulations and adjusted, if necessary, to maintain the proportionate distribution of operation, maintenance and replacement costs among the user classes and to ensure that sufficient revenues are generated to pay for the operation, maintenance and replacement of the sewage disposal system. Annual User Charge Adjustment January 1, 2027 through January 1, 2031: All User charges are to be adjusted annually based on the percentage change in the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) – Water and Sewerage Maintenance Series, published by the U.S. Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics, from August to August each year. The annual adjustment shall be no greater than four- and one-half percent (4.5%) and no less than zero percent (0%). The annual adjustment shall go into effect on January 1, 2027 through January 1, 2031.
(f) Fixed Income Citizen/Disabled Citizen/Senior Citizen Discount Programs.
(1) A discount of ten percent (10%) shall be deducted from the sewer bill for all qualified residential metered customers and thirty-five percent (35%) for all qualified residential flat rate customers. Effective January 1, 2024, all qualified residential customers shall receive a discount of ten percent (10%). A “qualified residential customer” shall be defined as an individual who:
B. Owns and occupies a “Homestead”, as defined in Section 323.151 of the Ohio Revised Code ("O.R.C.");
C. Has a total household income equal to or less than $3,000 plus twice the annual federal household poverty level for a household of two persons as determined each year by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Budget and Management; and
D. Has, as their primary source of total income, retirement pensions and/or survivor benefits from a former employee, labor union, or federal, state, or other governmental agency; or, disability income; or, receipts from annuities or insurance; or, income from Individual Retirement Account ("IRA") plans; or, income from Keogh plans; and
E. Qualifies as a permanently and totally eligible senior citizen or disabled person as defined in O.R.C. Sections 323.151 (B) or (C).
(2) The Director of the Department of Sanitary Sewer Services shall administer said "Discount Programs”, including, but not limited to, generation and processing of applications and related forms, a determination and verification of necessary supporting documentation for qualification or continuing participation in any “Discount Program” and the establishment of policies and procedures reasonably necessary to conduct or administer any and all “Discount Programs” under this section.
(3) Upon approval for participation in any Discount Program under this section, the rate reduction shall be in effect for the next billing period commencing no sooner than fifteen (15) days after approval by the Director.
(4) Users approved for the program shall furnish continuing evidence of eligibility at least once per year and at any other time upon written request by the Director.
(5) A user who ceases to qualify for eligibility to participate in one of the Discount Programs under this section shall notify the Director, in writing, within ten (10) business days.
(6) No user may be certified for participation in any Discount Program under this Section if such user has been convicted of violating O.R.C. Sections 323.153 (C) or (D), or convicted of violating O.R.C. Sections 6117.01 to 6117.45 or who is in violation of any of the provisions of Title Five
-Sewers and Wastewater of these Ordinances.
(g) Request for conversion of residents to metered billing program. Any political subdivision in the County of Summit that is served by the County's sewer system and whose residents are billed on a flat rate may request that the County convert its residents to the County's metered billing program. Such a request shall be in the form of a certified resolution stating the desire of the political subdivision to have its residents converted from flat rate billing to the County's metered billing program and shall be submitted to the County Executive. No conversion from a flat rate to the metered billing program shall be effective except as provided in Section 923.01(g).
(Ord. 2007-630. Adopted 12-17-07; Ord. 2008-021. Adopted 2-11-08; Ord. 2011-110. Adopted 3-21-11; Ord. 2011-476. Adopted 11-21-11; Ord. 2012-452. Adopted 12-10-12; Ord. 2013-507. Adopted 12-10-13; Ord. 2014-526. Adopted 12-8-14; Ord. 2015-118. Adopted 3-30-15; Ord. 2015-555. Adopted 12-14-15; Ord. 2021-349. Adopted 12-6-21.)