(A) Applicability. This section shall be applicable in the entire territory or area served. Such service shall be applicable for general domestic, commercial, and industrial service.
(B) Metered rates.
(1) For all customers with metered water supply within the city’s corporate limits, the metered rates shall be as follows.
Gallons Used (per Month) | Charge (per 1,000 gallons)* |
First 2,000 gallons | $12.78 |
Next 3,000 gallons | $12.78 |
Next 20,000 gallons | $9.79 |
Next 225,000 gallons | $8.64 |
All over 250,000 gallons | $6.60 |
* Or other amounts deemed appropriate by the Municipal Court
| |
(2) For all customers with metered water supply outside the city’s corporate limits, the metered rates shall be as follows.
Gallons Used (per Month) | Charge (per 1,000 gallons)* |
First 2,000 gallons | $15.09 |
Next 3,000 gallons | $15.09 |
Next 20,000 gallons | $12.13 |
Next 225,000 gallons | $11.00 |
All over 250,000 gallons | $8.95 |
* Or other amounts deemed appropriate by the Municipal Court | |
(B) Minimum charge.
(1) The above schedule is subject to a minimum monthly charge, being:
(a) Weston city customers shall be subject to a rate of $6.84 per month per 1,000 gallons for a minimum bill of $13.68 for 2,000 gallons; and
(b) Homewood/Bendale/Rt. 33/Jordanville/Deanville customers shall be subject to a rate of $8.29 per month per 1,000 gallons for a minimum bill of $16.58 for 2,000 gallons.
(2) No bill will be rendered for less than the following amount:
(a) Customers within the city’s corporate limits: $25.56; and
(b) Customers outside the city’s corporate limits: $30.18.
(C) Delayed payment penalty. The above schedule is net. On all accounts not paid in full within 20 days of date of bill, 10% will be added to the net amount shown. The delayed payment is not interest and is only to be collected once for each bill where it is appropriate.
(D) Multiple occupancy. Where multiple service is rendered through one water meter, the monthly sewer bill shall be not less than the minimum charge provided for above, multiplied by the number of families, apartments, residences, stores, offices, mobile homes (house trailers), or other units receiving water service from such meter.
(E) Unmetered users.
(1) In locations within the municipal boundaries of the city where the residential customer has no water meter, charges for sewer service shall be a flat monthly charge of $38.34 per connection to the sewer facilities, or other amount deemed appropriate by the Municipal Court.
(2) In locations outside the municipal boundaries of the city where the residential customer has no water meter, charges for sewer service shall be a flat monthly charge of $45.27 per connection to the sewer facilities, or other amount deemed appropriate by the Municipal Court. This is based upon the national average residential water usage of 3,000 gallons a month.
(F) Sewer connection (tap) fee. The general charge for making each service connection shall be the greater of $400 or the actual cost of connection (including labor and/or contracted services) to make an ordinary connection to the sewer system. The actual cost will be determined at the sole discretion of the city, acting by and through the Sanitary Board. If the tap will not flow by gravity, the customer shall provide and maintain a pump and pumping equipment according to specifications approved by the Sanitary Board in addition to the above mentioned tap fees.
(G) Bulk rate. The West Virginia Water Company shall be furnished sewer service at the rate of $24,360 per annum, payable at the rate of $2,030 per month, or other amount deemed appropriate by the Municipal Court.
(H) Water disconnection and reconnection fee.
(1) A disconnection fee of water service requested by the Sanitary Board in the case of nonpayment of sewer service charges imposed by this chapter shall be $20, or other amount deemed appropriate by the Municipal Court, and the reconnection fee of water service upon the payment of delinquent sewer service charges shall be $20, or other amount deemed appropriate by the Municipal Court.
(2) In the event that a building or premises discharging sewage, water, or other liquid waste into the municipal sanitary sewer system uses water supplied on other than a metered basis, the owner or occupant may be required to cause a water meter or other measuring device to be installed.
(I) Special charges. In the event that the sewage, water, or other liquid waste being discharged into the sanitary sewers from any building or premises is determined by the Sanitary Board to contain unduly high concentrations of any substances which add to the operating costs of the sewage system of said Sanitary Board, then the Sanitary Board may establish special rates and charges as to such class of buildings or premises, or the Sanitary Board may require the owners or other interested parties to specially treat such sewage, water, or other liquid waste before it is discharged into the municipal sanitary sewer system, at the user’s sole cost and expense.
(J) Sewer jetter truck special charge. If a customer requests assistance with a customer service line issue that requires the use of Sanitary Board’s sewer jetter truck, then the charge shall be $150 per visit to the customer’s service location, or other amount deemed appropriate by the Municipal Court.
(K) Payment of sewer service charges.
(1) All bills for the sewer shall be rendered monthly and shall be deposited in theSewer Revenue Fund created and being maintained pursuant to the ordinance adopted June 16, 1958, authorizing the outstanding sewer revenue bonds, dated June 1, 1958, of said city, and the ordinance authorizing the issuance of the sanitary sewer revenue bonds, dated 1969. No free services of said municipal sewer system shall be allowed or permitted.
(2) Responsive to W. Va. Code 16-13-16, the rates and charges for the use of and services rendered by the municipal sewage system shall be paid by or on behalf of the owner of each and every lot or parcel of real estate, or building connected with, served by, or using said sewage system, and the amount of all such rates and charges, if not paid when due, shall be a lien upon the premises, served by such system, and if the bill for such rates and charges is not paid within 30 days after due, it shall be deemed delinquent and the amount thereof shall be recovered by the city’s Sanitary Board in a civil action in the name of the city, together with a penalty of 10%, and a reasonable attorney’s fee, and as a part of such action, the lien aforesaid may be foreclosed in due course against the lot or parcel of land or building charged with the amount due in accordance with the law relating to the enforcement of such liens; provided, however, if any bill for sewer service rates and charges is directed to a party other than the owner of the lot or parcel of real estate, or building connected with, served by, or using the municipal sewage system, then in the event any such bill shall not be paid within the allotted time and shall become delinquent, the Sanitary Board shall mail such delinquent bill to the owner of such lot or parcel of real estate, or building, at the last known address of such owner, together with a notice that such owner is the party charged by law with the liability for the payment of same, and if such bill is not paid within 30 days after such mailing, the amount thereof shall be recovered by the Sanitary Board, together with the penalty aforesaid, and a reasonable attorney’s fee as in the case of other delinquent bills, and as a part of such action the lien aforesaid may be foreclosed in due course against the lot or parcel of land, or building charged with the amount due in accordance with the laws relating to the enforcement of such liens. The foregoing sewer service rates and charges shall be put into effect and collected from and after the effective date hereof as hereinafter provided in division (N)(2) below.
(3) The aforesaid schedule of rates and charges for sewer services and the basis for computing or opposing same shall be revised from time to time as may be required and provided by law or by the respective ordinances authorizing the issuance of said sewer revenue bonds and sanitary sewer revenue bonds hereinbefore referred to.
(L) Returned check charge. A service charge equal to the actual bank fee assessed to the sewer utility up to a maximum of $25, or other amount deemed appropriate by the Municipal Court, will be imposed upon any customer whose check for payment of charges is returned by the bank due to insufficient funds.
(M) Security deposit. The security deposit shall not exceed two-twelfths of the average annual usage of the applicant’s specific customer class, or $50, whichever is greater, or other amount deemed appropriate by the Municipal Court. This fee may be changed by applicable statutory provisions.
(N) Compliance.
(1) That the ordinance codified within this section having been introduced at a meeting of the Common Council of the city on the March 6, 2000, and the proposed revision, charge, or readjustment of rates being substantially pro rata as to all classes of service, no hearing or notice of the adoption of the ordinance codified within this section is required by W. Va. Code 16-13-16 (1931, as amended); however, notwithstanding the foregoing and in compliance with W. Va. Code 8-13-13 (1931, as amended), the ordinance codified within this section shall be published as a Class II legal advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in compliance with the provisions of W. Va. Code Ch. 59, Art. 3 (1931, as amended); notice of the proposed adoption hereof shall likewise be published as a Class I-0 legal advertisement in compliance with the provisions of W. Va. Code Ch. 59, Art. 3 (1931, as amended), as provided in W. Va. Code Ch. 8-11-4(a)(2) (1931, as amended); and pursuant to the provisions of W. Va. Code 24-4-4b(b) (1931, as amended) , that notice of intent to effect the aforesaid rate change be specified in the monthly billing statement of all users for the month next preceding the month in which the rate change is to become effective, and that a copy of the ordinance codified within this section shall be clearly placed and marked for viewing in the City Building.
(2) In accordance with the revisions of W. Va. Code 24-2-4(b), the rates and charges imposed by the ordinance codified within this section shall not be effective sooner than 45 days after adoption.
(Ord. passed 6-21-2000; Ord. 20A, passed 6-3-2021)