(A) User charge system. Every person whose premises are served by the public sewer of the city will be charged for the sewer services provided. A basic charge based on the water meter readings, or if available, a discharge metering device approved by the Director of Public Works, and the basic charges shall be as follows and are levied to defray the cost of operation and maintenance and replacement of the treatment works.
(1) Minimum charge. The total minimum rate is $8.30 per month. Based upon minimum usage of 2,000 gallons per month, $3.30 per month of the total minimum charge shall be the operation, maintenance and replacement minimum rate. The remaining $5 per month of the total minimum rate shall be the debt service minimum charge.
(2) Basic user charges. For usage in excess of 2,000 gallons per month, in addition to the minimum charge above, $3.75 per 1,000 gallons metered shall be the basic rate charge. Of this $3.75 per 1,000-gallon charge, $1.65 per 1,000 gallons metered shall be for operation, maintenance and replacement costs recovery, with the remaining $2.10 per 1,000 for debt service recovery.
(a) Sewer connections only. The minimum charge for users of sewer connections only shall be at the rate of $8.30 per month. An additional $3.75 per 1,000 gallons of wastewater discharged into the sewer system in excess of the minimum 2,000 gallons per month usage shall be charged.
(b) Other sewer connections. All charges for use of sewer connections where water is supplied thereto by the city and subject to the special provisions herein shall be as follows.
1. A minimum charge of $8.30 per month, which rate shall apply as a service charge so long as the sewer connection is in service and regardless whether or not water is used during the period, and which minimum charge shall entitle the user to discharge 2,000 gallons of water per month into the sewer system.
2. For all water metered to the premises in excess of the 2,000 gallons, a charge therefor shall be at the rate of $3.75 per 1,000 gallons of water metered. The above rate shall apply to the amount of water passing through the water meter except when an approved discharge metering system is utilized. In this case the rate shall apply to that water discharged to the system.
(3) Basis for wastewater service charges. The wastewater service charge for the use of and for service supplied by the wastewater facilities of the city shall consist of a basic user charge for operation and maintenance plus replacement, applicable surcharges and a debt service charge.
(a) The debt service charge is computed as a fixed charge plus a charge per 1,000 gallons.
(b) The basic user charge shall be based on water usage as recorded by water meters and/or sewage meters for wastes having the following normal domestic concentrations:
1. A five-day, 20°C biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of 215 milligrams per liter.
2. A suspended solids (SS) content of 245 milligrams per liter (245 mg/l). It shall consist of operation and maintenance costs plus replacement and shall be computed as follows:
a. Estimate wastewater volume, pounds of SS and pounds of BOD to be treated;
b. Estimate the projected annual revenue required to operate and maintain the wastewater facilities including a replacement fund for the year, for all works categories;
c. Proportion the estimated OM&R costs to each user class by volume, SS and BOD; and
d. Proportion the estimated OM&R costs to wastewater facility categories by volume, SS and BOD.
(c) Wastewater service charge shall be computed as follows:
CW = CM + CDM + (Vu-X)Cu + (Vu-X)CUD + CS
Where:
CW | = | Amount of waste service charge ($) per billing period |
CM | = | Minimum charge for operation, maintenance and replacement (OM&R) |
CDM | = | Minimum charge for debt service |
Vu | = | Wastewater volume for the billing period |
X | = | Allowable consumption in gallons for the minimum charge |
Cu | = | Basic user rate for operation, maintenance and replacement (OM&R) |
CUD | = | Basic user rate for debt service |
CS | = | Amount of surcharge |
(4) Notification. If otherwise required by law, the users of the wastewater treatment service will be notified annually, in conjunction with a regular bill, of the rate and that portion of the user charges which are attributed to the wastewater treatment operation, maintenance and replacement. Otherwise, the information shall be available for review by the public.
(5) Annual review. The adequacy of the wastewater service charge shall be reviewed not less often than annually. The wastewater service charge shall be revised periodically to reflect a change in local capital costs including replacement costs, and costs of operation and maintenance.
(B) Special provisions. The following special provisions shall apply.
(1) Debt service charges; duplex or apartments. Where water is supplied to a duplex or apartment building, where there is only one meter for the entire premises, the minimum debt service charge shall be calculated as if the total amount of water metered has been supplied through separate meters for each side of the duplex and for each apartment in the building. This method shall also be utilized where one meter services a residence plus a business establishment. In this manner each household or business will equally share the minimum debt service costs of the system. (Operation, maintenance and replacement minimum charges shall be assessed per meter only, regardless of the number of dwelling or business units.)
(2) Debt service charges; trailer courts. Where water is supplied to premises used as a trailer court, where there is only one meter for the entire premises, the minimum debt service charge shall be calculated as if the total amount of water metered has been supplied through separate meters equal in number to the number of trailer spaces occupied at the time of each reading of the meter. The minimum debt service charge shall apply for each living unit served if less than the minimum amount of water per unit was used. In this manner each trailer will equally share the minimum debt service costs of the system. (Operation, maintenance and replacement minimum charges shall be assessed per meter only, regardless of the number of occupied trailer spaces.)
(C) Additional assessments. In addition to the above charges, for normal domestic sewage, the following assessments shall be made. A surcharge will be levied to all users whose waters exceed normal domestic concentrations of BOD (215 milligrams per liter) and SS (245 milligrams per liter). The surcharge will be based on water usage as recorded by water meters and/or sewage meters for all wastes which exceed the 215 mg/l and 245 mg/l concentration for BOD and SS respectively. The surcharge shall be determined as follows:
(1) The concentration of wastes used for computing surcharges shall be established by waste sampling. Waste sampling shall be performed as often as may be deemed necessary by the city and shall be binding as a basis for surcharges.
(2) Upon determining the concentration of wastes, a surcharge equal to the minimum charge referred to in division (A) of this section shall be assessed for each 245 ppm BOD or SS in excess of the normal domestic concentration. The assessment cost shall be $0.11 per pound and $0.10 per pound of BOD and SS respectively. BOD or SS, whichever is determined to be in highest concentration, shall be the parameter to be utilized in determining the surcharge.
(D) Measurement of flow. The volume of flow used for computing basic user charges and surcharges shall be the metered water consumption read to the lowest even increments of 100 gallons.
(1) If the person discharging wastes into the public sewers procures any part, or all, of his or her water from sources other than the public water works system, all or a part of which is discharged into the public sewers, the person shall install and maintain, at his or her expense, water meters of a type approved by the city for the purpose of determining the volume of water obtained from these other sources.
(2) Devices for measuring the volume of waste discharged may be required by the city if these volumes cannot otherwise be determined from the metered water consumption records.
(3) Metering devices for determining the volume of wastewater shall be installed, owned and maintained by the owner. Following approval and installation, the meters may not be removed, unless service is canceled, without the consent of the city.
(1986 Code, § 20-138) (Ord. 1997-17, passed 5-5-1997; Ord. 2007-21, passed 12-3-2007)