Retail customers of the municipal water and sewer system may have their sewer bills adjusted in accordance with this section.
(A) In the event of a reasonably undetected water leak, being defined as a leak located underground, in a crawl space, or in another area where the customer is unaware of the leak until receipt of the bill, the adjustments will be made using the following criteria:
(1) No water from the water leak has entered the sanitary sewer system (i.e. through toilets, sink drains, floor drains, etc.)
(2) The bill must exceed the customer’s average bill by at least two (2) times.
(3) Reasonable efforts to locate the leak and initiate repairs must be taken within fourteen (14) days from the date of the water bill indicating the leak.
(4) The customer seeking adjustment must complete a sewer usage Leak Adjustment Request Form and include proof of repair of any such leak to the Water Department. No adjustment will be made without the aforesaid form and proof.
(5) Upon receipt of the completed form and proof of repair as set forth hereinabove, the Water Department will average the customer’s previous six (6) bills for sewer consumption only. The customer will then be billed for sewer use during the adjusted period at a rate equal to their average sewer use during the previous six (6) months. The water portion of the bill will not be adjusted.
(6) Adjustments meeting the above criteria shall be approved in writing by the Public Works Director, or his or her designee. Adjustments in excess of three hundred dollars ($300) shall also be referred to the City Council through the Water and Sewer Committee for final approval.
(7) The Public Works Director, or his or her designee, may also make an adjustment to the customer's sewer bill based upon any other relevant criteria, provided that the total amount of any adjustment does not exceed three hundred dollars ($300).
(8) An adjustment may occur only after all leaks have been repaired, and repairs have been verified by city staff.
(9) No customer shall receive more than one (1) adjustment in accordance with § 50.22(A) during any twelve (12) month period.
(B) In the event sod is installed for new construction, the adjustments will be made as follows:
(1) New construction, for purposes of this section is defined as the first house, townhouse, apartment building or other residential structure, built upon a lot for residential purposes.
(2) The period of adjustment shall extend over a maximum of two monthly billing periods and no more than two (2) monthly bills will be adjusted.
(3) The sewer portion of the customer’s bill will be adjusted to reflect usage of seventy-five hundred (7,500) gallons of water per month.
(4) The adjustment will be made upon request of the customer within ninety (90) days after the bill for the month(s) to be adjusted has been received.
(C) The customer may elect to install and pay for a separate meter to supply water exclusively for the purpose of watering sod and other plants, washing automobiles, and other exterior purpose in which none of the water passing through this meter enters the city’s sewer system. The bill for such meter would include no sewer usage charge.
(Ord., passed 5-4-82; Am. Ord. 2001-1, passed 2-6-01; Am. Ord. 2010- 17, passed 9-21-10; Am. Ord. 2013-29, passed 8-20-13; Am. Ord. 2016- 15, passed 7-19-16; Am. Ord. 2018-7, passed 5-15-18; Am. Ord. 2020-4, passed 1-21-20; Am. Ord. 2020-57, passed 12-15-20; Am. Ord. 2021-10, passed 6-15-21)