(A) (1) Users of the wastewater treatment facilities shall be permitted into one of the following classes:
(a) Residential;
(b) Non-residential; and
(b) Industrial.
(2) Charges to users who discharge NDSW will be calculated on the basis of metered water use.
(B) (1) Each user shall pay operation, maintenance and replacement costs in proportion to the user’s contribution of wastewater flows and loadings to the treatment plant, with a minimum rate for loadings of BOD and TSS being the rate established for normal domestic strength waste (NDSW) concentrations.
(2) The industrial users discharging only segregated NDSW can be classified as non-residential users for the purpose of rate determination.
(C) Charges for residential and non-residential users will be determined proportionately according to billable wastewater flow.
(1) Residential users. Billable wastewater volume for residential users shall be calculated on the basis of metered water usage. The monthly billable water usage will be based on usage in the first quarter of the calendar year. The city may require residential users to install water meters for the purpose of determining billable wastewater volume.
(2) Sewer minimum availability charge.
(a) Each customer shall be billed the current minimum sewer charge in the event that the customer is not connected to city sewer, but there is a city sewer connection available.
(b) Rates are as set forth in Appendix B.
(c) Any premises not located within the corporate limits of the city, which are connected or may hereinafter be connected to the sewer system shall be charged at a rate equal to twice the in-city rate.
(d) The Utilities Commission reserves the right to set rates for any designated sanitary district.
(3) Non-residential users. Billable wastewater volume of non-residential users may be determined in the same manner as for residential users; except that, if the city determines that there are significant seasonal variations in metered water usage resulting in a proportionate increase in wastewater volume, the billable wastewater will be:
(a) Calculated on the basis of quarterly water usage as recorded throughout the year; or
(b) Calculated on the basis of metered wastewater flow. The city may require non- residential users to install additional water meters or wastewater flow meters as may be necessary to determine billable wastewater volume.
(D) For producers of normal domestic strength wastes:
Uomr = Comr/Tbwv
Where:
Uomr = Unit cost for operation, maintenance and equipment replacement in $/Kgal
Comr = Total annual OM&R costs
Tbwv = Total annual billable wastewater flow in Kgal
(E) Local construction costs for the wastewater treatment facility will be recovered through a debt service charge calculated in a manner consistent with the user charge as follows: calculation of unit cost for debt service:
Uds = Cds/Tbwv
Where:
Uds = Cost for annual debt service ($/Kgal)
Cds = Cost of annual debt service
Tbwv - Total annual billable wastewater volume (Kgal)
(F) (1) The sewer service charges established in this chapter will not prevent the assessment of additional charges to users who discharge wastes in concentrations greater than NDSW or of unusual character (industrial users). Special contractual agreements can be made with the users, or a discharge permit issued to them, subject to the following conditions:
(a) The user pays OM&R costs in proportion to the user’s contribution of wastewater flows and loadings to the treatment facility and no user is charged at a rate inferior to the charge for normal domestic strength wastes; and
(b) The sampling of wastewater shall be conducted in accordance with the techniques established in Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, latest edition.
(2) A study of unit costs of collection and treatment processes attributable to flow, BOD, TSS and other significant loadings shall be developed and used to determine the proportionate allocation of costs to flows and loadings for industrial users.
(G) In the event that a user fails to pay his or her sewer rental fee within a reasonable time as determined by the Commission, the fee shall be certified by the Clerk and assessed against the property connected to the sewer system and forwarded to the County Auditor for collection.
(Prior Code, Ch. 505, App. A) (Ord. passed 11-3-2004; Ord. passed 5-15-2007; Ord. passed 9-4-2012; Ord. passed 1-7-2014; Ord. passed 8-5-2014; Ord. passed 3-3-2015)