(a) Surcharge. Subject to the provisions of this chapter, and in addition to any other applicable fees or charges, there is hereby imposed a monthly wet weather surcharge upon each master-metered satellite sewer user. Such surcharge shall be for flow in excess of normal dry weather treatment flow (normal dry weather treatment flow shall hereinafter in this section be referred to as “baseline flow”). Baseline flow will be established as the averaged billed consumption from the master-metered satellite sewer user for the months of January, February and March of the previous year.
The monthly wet weather surcharge shall be calculated as follows: the allowable infiltration for all existing sanitary sewers is hereby established at no more than 200 gallons/inch sewer diameter/day/mile for all existing sewers. All new sewers shall be designed and constructed in accordance with state regulations and tested for infiltration in accordance with an acceptable testing method established by the Ohio EPA. New sewers installed will be credited according to existing established acceptable surcharge limits. Any flow above baseline flow plus the allowable infiltration will be billed at a surcharge. Such surcharge will be an additional thirty-three percent (33%) of the current rate per million gallons. Sewers that have been identified as contributing to the I/I of the system and have been repaired will be reassessed and recalculated for allowable infiltration for all future flows.
An example (for example purposes only) of how the monthly surcharge shall be calculated is as follows:
Baseline average flow = 18.2 MG/month | Calculated Allowance = 1.09 MG/month |
Total Baseline Flow = 19.29 MG/month | |
Rate/MG = $1,324.46 | |
Surcharge Rate = $437.07 | |
Total Metered Flow for the Month of March = 27.256 MG @$1,324.46=$36,099.48 | |
Total Baseline Flow = 19.29 MG | |
Amount to be Surcharged = 7.97 MG @$ 437.07= $ 3,483.45 | |
Total Bill for the Month of March = $39,582.93 | |
(b) Credits. The amount of money spent by a master-metered satellite sewer user who engages in an activity that identifies and/or eliminates sources of infiltration and inflow of stormwater into the City’s sanitary sewer system shall be entitled to a credit against said user’s following year’s surcharge. Any such credit shall be nonrefundable and nontransferable. No such credit shall exceed the amount of the surcharge.
Acceptable activities that will qualify for such credits are:
(1) A Flow Monitoring Program that provides for the development of standards for monitoring and assessing inflow and infiltration in all areas of the City of Warren and satellite systems. This component of the program should determine the amount of inflow and infiltration that is currently entering the City’s sanitary sewer system. This monitoring component should provide the information needed to assess where inflow and infiltration concerns may exist.
(2) Implementation of inflow and infiltration reduction pilot projects utilizing various technologies and subsequent flow monitoring to determine the effectiveness of the pilot project. Once high inflow and infiltration flow areas are identified, small scale rehabilitation and mitigation projects can be identified and implemented. If successful, these pilot projects could then be rolled out across the system where warranted.
(3) A cost/benefit analysis to determine best applications for inflow and infiltration reduction. Results from the pilot projects in conjunction with a thorough understanding of deficient areas should form the basis for cost analysis to determine the extent and expected benefits of expanding the pilot projects to full scale rehabilitation projects.
(4) Projects implemented that demonstrate the removal of inflow and infiltration. Projects can include grouting, Slip-lining, spot repair, sewer line replacement, downspout eliminations, footer drain elimination and other approved best management practices.
Projects must demonstrate successful inflow and infiltration reduction to qualify for surcharge credits. Demonstration will be accomplished by flow monitoring downstream of the area to be repaired in dry and wet weather conditions prior to the repair occurring thereby establishing a baseline flow. After the repair occurs, additional downstream flow monitoring will be accomplished (wet/dry weather) to determine the success of the repair. A reduction of flow from the documented baseline flow will allow for surcharge credit.
(Ord. 12257/10. Passed 1-27-10.)