(A) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
CONSENT ORDER. The Consent Order filed January 5, 2007 with the Fayette County Common Pleas Court, captioned State of Ohio v. City of Washington Court House, Case No. 06-CVH-00352.
SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOW or SSO. An overflow, spill, or release of wastewater from the city’s sanitary sewer system, including interceptor sewers, that occurs on a city street or on the ground and has the potential to reach waters of the state without treatment. SSOs do not include WIBs unless the wastewater is discharged or otherwise released to the street or to where it can enter a storm sewer system.
TAP or SEWER TAP. The connection of a building lateral to the city’s sewer system with a projected daily average flow of 400 gallons per day or less of wastewater.
WATER IN BASEMENT or WIB. Wastewater backups into buildings that are caused by blockages or flow conditions in a sanitary sewer other than a building lateral. WIBs do not include the backup of sewage caused by a blockage or other malfunction in the building’s lateral sewer.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT or WWP. The City of Washington Court House’s wastewater treatment works/disposal system, located at 1210 South Elm Street, Washington Court House, Fayette County, and any other facilities for treatment of the sewage, industrial waste, or other wastes collected in the city’s sewer system.
(B) Limits. There is hereby established a limit on the number of new sewer taps allowed per calendar year. This limit shall be enforced until the System Evaluation and Capacity Assurance Plan (“SECAP”), which is required by Item VI, Section 13 of the Consent Order, captioned State of Ohio v. Washington Court House, Case No. 06-CVH-00352, is approved by the Ohio EPA and the SECAP schedule required by paragraph 14 is approved by the Ohio EPA, and incorporated into the Consent Order.
(C) Application process for non-domestic sewage permit. Any person seeking a sewer tap permit from the city for non-domestic sewage must submit a written application (on a for prescribed by the city) to the Service Director. The applicant must describe the estimated volume of projected flow, the nature of the user’s operations, a description of the user’s waste streams, and a description of what is expected to be present in the wastewater. Prior to authorizing the connection/expansion of a new or expanded significant industrial the city will evaluate this application, and submit a copy of the application, along with a proposal for how many taps should be assigned for each non-domestic sewage application to the Ohio EPA for review and approval.
(D) Application process for domestic sewage permit. Any person seeking a sewer tap permit from the city for domestic sewage must submit a written application (on a form prescribed by the city) to the Service Director. The applicant must describe the number of residential units sought to be served, provide an estimate of the volume of projected flow, and state the number of “taps” sought, keeping in mind that a projected daily average flow of 400 gallons per day or less of wastewater is considered one “tap.” Prior to authorizing the connection/expansion, the Service Director will evaluate the number of taps already granted in the current calendar year to ensure the city does not violate any terms of the Consent Order.
(E) Review criteria. The Service Director will review each application on a first-come, first-served basis. The Service Director is hereby authorized to evaluate each tap application with the goal toward obtaining control and prohibiting new taps above SSOs such that any new tap will not significantly increase the occurrence, frequency, duration, or magnitude of any SSO.
(F) Carryover. In the event that the city does not utilize 200 taps within a calendar year (January 1 through December 31), any unused taps will carryover for usage in the following calendar year. No taps shall carry over for more than one year (i.e., to the immediately following year). At no time shall the number of available taps in any one calendar year exceed 400.
(G) Monitoring. The Service Director shall limit, manage, and monitor the number of new taps made to the city’s sewer system such that SSOs and/or blending at the WWTP will not be increased.
(H) Reports. The Service Director shall submit semi-annual reports of the number of taps allowed into the city sewer system. Each report shall identify the location and number of taps allowed, total flow from the taps allowed, and the number of available remaining taps for the calendar year. The reports shall be due to the Ohio EPA on or before May 15 and November 15 of each year until such report is no longer required by the terms of the Consent Order.
(I) For each new water or sewer connection the person or firm applying for service shall pay a connection fee as follows:
(1) For single family residences, a fee of $400 each for water and sewer, which shall become effective November 1, 1996. This fee shall be changed to $500 on May, 1, 1998, and $700 on November 1, 1999.
(2) Non-residential connection fees for water or sewer which are serviced by a water meter of 1" size or smaller, shall each be subject to a connection fee of $700.
(3) All connections made outside the corporate boundaries of the city shall pay a 25% surcharge.
(4) All connections made for services greater than 1" shall be charged a fee equal to the cost of making the connection and the associated capital costs assigned to their share of the waste treatment plant and distribution system. A schedule of these costs will be prepared and approved by the Council Finance and Service Committees. The costs and charges for large services shall be reviewed and revised at least once each three years.
(5) All connection fees shall be due and payable at the time of the issuance of a building permit for new construction or the application for service in the case of existing structures.
(6) Multi-family residences shall pay a connection fee according to the charge schedule outlined in division (I)(1) of this section if it is serviced by a meter of 1" size of smaller. If it is serviced by a larger meter, the connection charges will be levied in accordance with the schedule to be implemented under division (A)(4) of this section.
(Ord. 6-96, passed 4-10-96; Am. Ord. 2-2007, passed 3-14-07)