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(A) Deposit required.
(1) All new and existing customers of the water and/or sewer utilities shall be required to pay and maintain a security deposit in the amount of $200 at all times plus a connect fee (inside city limits ($45) or outside city limits ($60).
(2) All customers requesting utility service shall personally sign the application for services and provide verification of name and current address for billing.
(3) In the event any utility customer's service is disconnected for late payment, the city will apply the deposit to the deficiency and require full payment of any delinquent utility account, in addition to any reconnection fees and reinstatement of the full security deposit prior to reinstatement and reconnection of utility services.
(4) Security deposits shall remain with the city until termination of services.
(B) Application of utility deposits.
(1) All utility deposits held with the city shall, in addition to securing the payment for utility services received, also secure and may be applied to any other debt or obligation owed the city by the person or entity having made the utility deposit. The remaining balance of any and all utility deposits collected by the city for water, sewer or solid waste disposal shall be returned to the individual who secured the deposit in his or her name, at such time as such person terminates such utility service with the city.
(2) The deposit will first be applied to any outstanding utility or solid waste disposal bills, then to any additional outstanding debts to the city and the remainder will be returned upon proper request and application. Additional outstanding debts of the individual seeking return of a utility deposit include but are not limited to:
(a) Other utility services which have been provided under said person's name and that have an outstanding balance due and owing to the city;
(b) Any ambulance, EMS, fire or other such city operated services which have bills outstanding in such person's name;
(c) Liens placed by the city upon any property owned by such person; and
(d) Any outstanding fees, charges, court costs, fines or warrants payable by such person by virtue of any record, action or proceeding in the Municipal Court.
(3) No interest shall accrue or be due for any security deposits for water, sewer or solid waste disposal.
(4) A charge and fee in the amount of $1 per month, not to exceed the balance of the utility deposit, is hereby established for each account that is required to be maintained by the city for and with respect to services, accounts, and service addresses for which a customer terminated utility service or for which a utility deposit is returned by postal service to the city for wrong forwarding address. Upon any such customer entitled to receive a refund of any such utility deposit balances contacting the city and obtaining the refund, or the depletion of such remaining deposit balance, the account shall be closed. The $1 fee shall be deducted from the utility deposit balance until the latest of:
(a) Eighteen months after the date a refund check for the utility deposit was payable to the owner of the deposit;
(b) Eighteen months after the date the city last received documented communication from the owner of the utility deposit; or
(c) Eighteen months after the date the city issued a refund check for the deposit payable to the owner of the deposit if, according to the knowledge and city's records, during that period, a claim to the check has not been asserted or an act of ownership by the payee has not been exercised.
(5) Whenever the Utility Department applies deposit to any outstanding debt or refuses to return a deposit, the individual seeking return of a deposit held in their name may, if not satisfied with the decision of the Director of the Utility Department, appeal the decision to the City Manager within ten days from the date of the decision.
(C) Transfer of services.
(1) Any existing customer requesting a transfer of any utilities must maintain the appropriate deposit for the utility services being transferred. Any existing deposit, less deficiencies on the existing account, will be transferred directly to the new account. Any deficiencies in the prior utility account will also be transferred to the new utility account. Transfer fee is $45.
(2) No customer will be allowed to transfer and maintain services without paying all deficiencies on existing or prior utility accounts in full and having the full deposit for utility services on deposit with the city at the time of transfer, but not later than the next complete billing cycle at the transfer location.
(D) Customer service inspections. All customers receiving services from the city shall be subject to a customer service inspection by the city's certified Customer Service Inspection employee. The fee for the "CSI" inspection is $50. A customer service inspection is an examination of the private water distribution facility for the purpose of providing or denying water service. The inspection is limited to the identification and prevention of cross-connections, potential contaminant hazards, and illegal lead materials. Customer service inspections are completed before providing continuous water service to new construction, on any existing service where there is reason to believe that cross-connections or other potential contaminant hazards exist, or after any material improvement, correction, or addition to private water distribution facilities.
(Ord. 2019-005, passed 8- -2019)
The following rates, fees and charges shall be charged and paid for water services within the city:
(A) Minimum rate. Residential and commercial customers shall be charged the applicable minimum monthly rate per meter established herein as long as such meter is active, whether the customer actually used the services or not; provided that, if a meter is removed or locked at the customer's request, no minimum charge for service shall be assessed.
(B) Residential rate. The first 1,000 gallons of water used are included in the minimum water charge. The following monthly rates shall be charged for residential water service:
Minimum monthly charge per meter | $27.00 |
0 to 1,000 gal | $27.00 minimum |
1,001 to 4,000 gal | $3.75 per thousand |
4,001 to 7,000 gal | $4.00 per thousand |
7,001 to 12,000 gal | $4.25 per thousand |
12,001 to 20,000 gal | $4.40 per thousand |
20,000+ gal | $5.25 per thousand |
(C) Commercial - single entity rate. Where a single business unit, business establishment, customer or entity receives service off of a meter.
Minimum monthly charge per meter | $30.00 |
0 to 1,000 gal | $30.00 minimum |
1,001 to 4,000 gal | $3.75 per thousand |
4,001 to 7,000 gal | $4.00 per thousand |
7,001 to 12,000 gal | $4.25 per thousand |
12,001 to 20,000 gal | $4.40 per thousand |
20,000+ gal | $5.25 per thousand |
(D) Industrial rate.
(1) Minimum monthly charge per meter: $900
(2) For each 1,000 gallons of water metered: 6.00
(E) Outside city. The following rates will be charged to all customers for water service provided outside the city limits of the City of Trinidad:
Minimum monthly charge per meter | $45.00 |
0 to 1,000 gal | $35.00 minimum |
1,001 to 4,000 gal | $3.80 per thousand |
4,001 to 7,000 gal | $4.05 per thousand |
7,001 to 12,000 gal | $4.20 per thousand |
12,001 to 20,000 gal | $4.35 per thousand |
20,000+ gal | $5.30 per thousand |
(F) Bulk rate. $10.50 per 1,000 gallons.
(Ord. 2019-005, passed 8- -2019)
(A) Minimum and calculated sewer rate.
(1) Residential. Fixed rate is based upon average water consumption for the months of January, February and March. The rates are based on $21 minimum, plus the following table:
1,001 to 4,000 gal | $2.90 per thousand |
4,001 to 7,000 gal | $3.15 per thousand |
7,001 to 12,000 gal | $3.15 per thousand |
12,001 to 20,000 gal | $3.15 per thousand |
20,000+ gal | $3.15 per thousand |
(2) Commercial. The monthly rates are based on $25 minimum, plus the following table:
1,001 to 4,000 gal | $2.75 per thousand |
4,001 to 7,000 gal | $3.00 per thousand |
7,001 to 12,000 gal | $3.00 per thousand |
12,001 to 20,000 gal | $3.00 per thousand |
20,000+ gal | $3.00 per thousand |
(B) Housing projects. Separate permanent housing units and apartments shall be billed at the minimum rate per unit.
(Ord. 2019-005, passed 8- -2019)
(A) Residential. The minimum monthly charge per residential unit shall be determined by rates set by the waste service company contracted with the City of Trinidad. The fee for the first month of service shall be collected on the first billing cycle after application for service is made and payment of the monthly rate shall be made each month thereafter.
(B) Commercial or industrial. The rates for solid waste services for commercial and industrial customers shall be determined by individual agreement and contract based upon location, volume and frequency of service.
(Ord. 2019-005, passed 8- -2019)
Water and sewer taps will be made for the base tap fee provided the tap is made to a water or wastewater line abutting or adjacent to the lot or parcel to be served ("standard location"). For the purposes of this chapter, a tap made on a water or wastewater line located between the boundary line of the property to be served and the right-of-way line of the street or alley abutting such lot, or a line located within portions of the street, shall also constitute a tap made at a standard location. A tap made at a standard location shall be a standard connection. A non-standard location is any location for a tap to serve any lot, tract or parcel of land other than at a standard location. A non-standard connection is any tap that requires work, construction or extensions to be made for the tap, or that is made at other than a standard location. Additional charges and fees will be assessed and collected as herein detailed for costs associated with line extensions and taps made to a non-standard location.
(A) Availability of service. The existence of mains, truck lines or other lines, near a property will not constitute an obligation for the city to limit the tap fee or charge for making a water or sewer service tap to such line, where such lines must be tapped at other than a standard location, are inaccessible due to necessary crossings of streets, highways, drainage channels and similar barriers, or when cost must be incurred over and above the cost for making a tap at a standard location. Taps at non-standard locations must be arranged for with the Director of Public Works in advance of the desired service date, to permit necessary extensions, crossings or similar construction.
(B) Installation of a non-standard connection. Upon the approval of the City Manager, the owner or developer of a subdivision requiring a non-standard connection may contract with a qualified contractor for the installation, construction and extension of any water or sewer line necessary to make a non-standard connection or as necessary for the location of the tap to become a standard location and, in such an event, such owner or developer shall pay the reasonable costs and charges therefore directly to the contractor and obtain a receipt and release from said contractor. The city shall otherwise, at the expense of the applicant for the tap, construct all line extensions and perform all construction required to make a water or sewer tap at a non-standard location. The City Engineer or Department of Public Works shall inspect such construction and work to assure it is completed in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of the city and the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Council.
(C) Costs. The reasonable costs and expenses for installing, constructing and extending any water or sewer line of the city to provide a tap at a non-standard location, or to extend such lines to a standard location, shall be charged and collected by the city, if such costs are not paid directly by an owner/developer pursuant to division (B) of this section. Such additional costs and expenses shall be equal to the difference between the cost of making the tap at a standard location and the cost of making the tap at a standard location, or, as the case may be, the difference between the cost of making the tap at a standard location and the costs incurred for the work and construction to extend the lines to a point or location that is a standard location for the tap.
(D) Payment of line extension fee. When a water or sewer line extension charge is required the city may at its option require the owner being furnished the line to:
(1) Deposit in advance, the estimated costs for construction of the water or sewer line that is estimated to be costs additional to a standard connection;
(2) Post a bond sufficient to cover the total estimated costs of line extension; or
(3) Provide a letter of credit sufficient to cover the total estimated costs of the line extension.
(E) Line extension fees outside city limits. The costs set out in this section shall apply for connections to property both inside and outside the city limits.
(Ord. 2019-005, passed 8- -2019)
All customers receiving services from the city shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter and shall be charged the rates established in this chapter, and no reduced rates or free service shall be furnished to any customer. It is specifically provided, however, that this provision shall not prohibit the city, upon good cause shown, from establishing reasonable classifications of customers for which rates differing from the rates stated herein may be adopted, and that nothing contained herein shall be construed to prevent the city from furnishing water services to special projects or other establishments at a bulk rate if deemed advisable by the city.
(Ord. 2019-005, passed 8- -2019)
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