(a) User Charge Imposed. Commencing on or after January 1, 1980, there is hereby levied and assessed upon each lot, parcel of land, building or premises having a sewer connection into the sanitary sewerage system of the City, or otherwise discharging sewage, industrial waste, water or other liquid either directly or indirectly into the City wastewater treatment system, a charge for the use of the system.
(b) Classes of Users. The users of the system shall be divided into two classes. Classes are groups of users for which the wastewater characteristics are approximately equal and the services provided are essentially the same. Initially, there shall be established four classes of users, as follows:
(1) Inside the City.
A. Industrial users - As defined in Section 923.02(99)A., C., D.;
B. Nonindustrial users - All discharges to the system not described in division (b)(1)A. hereof.
(2) Outside the City.
A. Industrial users - As defined in Section 923.02(99)A., C., D.;
B. Nonindustrial users - All discharges to the system not described in division (b)(2)A. hereof.
The Superintendent may establish additional classes as are determined to be necessary.
(c) Responsibility for Payment; Computation of Charges. Charges for wastewater treatment service shall be paid by each user connected to the system and shall be computed in accordance with the probable demand a user places on the system, as measured by the City water meter installed thereon or by a wastewater meter installed on the discharge pipe therefrom (or as estimated by the City). The cost of the installation, operation and maintenance of the meter, and all other costs for the meter, shall be paid by the user.
(d) Special Basis of Charges. If a considerable amount of water delivered to any premises is not returned to the wastewater disposal system of the City, the Superintendent may establish a special basis upon which the sewage disposal charges to such premises will be computed or, upon a determination by either the Superintendent or the customer that the use of direct metering of sanitary sewage flow is necessary or is a more equitable method of determining sewage disposal charges, the Superintendent shall order the installation of wastewater meters. The cost of the installation, operation and maintenance of such meters and all other costs for the meter shall be paid by the user.
(e) Rate Schedule. Charges for services for each billing period against each lot, parcel of land or premises having a connection with the system, or otherwise discharging wastewater, sanitary sewage, industrial waste, water or other liquid either directly or indirectly to the system, shall be, in amounts to be determined, based on the quantity of water consumed on the premises and the probable demand placed on the wastewater during the applicable billing period, as shown in Table B-1 of Attachment B following this chapter.
(f) Sewer Capital Charges. A monthly capital charge, as shown in Table B-1 of Attachment B to this chapter, shall be charged to each user connected to the system. Effective January 5, 2012, the capital charge for users inside the City shall be allocated 57% to the sewer capital fund, and 43% to the water capital fund. Effective January 5, 2012, the capital charge for users outside the City shall be allocated 75% to the sewer capital fund, and 25% to the water capital fund. Effective January 1, 2014, the utility capital charge shall be eliminated and a separate capital charge shall be charged to each user connected to the City’s water system and to each user connected to the City’s sewer system. The sewer capital charge shall be charged monthly to each user, in the amounts set forth in Table B-2 of Attachment B following this chapter.
(g) Commodity Charges. The commodity charge shall be added to the capital charge to obtain the minimum monthly charge. Commodity charges for all use are as follows:
Class of User
| User Charges per 1,000 Gallons | |
Inside City | Effective 2-1-13 | Effective 1-1-14 |
Nonindustrial | $7.00 | $7.21 |
Industrial | $7.00 | $7.21 |
Outside City | ||
Nonindustrial | $10.20 | $10.51 |
Industrial | $10.20 | $10.51 |
Class of User
| User Charges per 1,000 Gallons
|
Inside City | Effective January 1, 2020 |
Nonindustrial | $7.75 |
Industrial | $7.75 |
Outside City | |
Nonindustrial | $11.30 |
Industrial | $11.30 |
Class of User
| User Charges per 1,000 Gallons
| |
Inside City | Effective January 1, 2021 | |
Nonindustrial | $8.50 | |
Industrial | $8.50 | |
Outside City | ||
Nonindustrial | $12.05 | |
Industrial | $12.05 | |
Class of User
| User Charges per 1,000 Gallons
| |
Inside City | Effective January 1, 2023 | |
Nonindustrial | $8.95 | |
Industrial | $8.95 | |
Outside City | ||
Nonindustrial | $12.50 | |
Industrial | $12.50 | |
(h) Billing. Bills are due and payable for all utilities on the first business day of each month indicated on the bill. The last day for payment of all utility bills is the eighteenth day of the month.
If a bill for service has not been paid by the eighteenth day of the month, as indicated on the bill, the City shall furnish written notice to the delinquent user that service shall be discontinued on the twenty-fourth day of the month. If the twenty-fourth day of the month falls on Saturday or Sunday or any legal holiday, the first business day thereafter shall be considered as the last day to pay before discontinuation of any utility service.
(i) Minimum Charges; Proration; Additional Charges.
(1) Any user discharging waste to the system shall be charged for a minimum quantity of flow, as shown in Table B-2 of Attachment B following this chapter. Included in the minimum charge is the cost for 1,000 gallons of consumption per monthly billing period.
(2) Whenever a bill is rendered for less than a billing period, the capital charge shall be prorated for the number of days the service was rendered in the billing period. All wastewater discharged shall be billed at the then applicable user charge rate.
(3) An additional minimum charge for sewer service shall be added monthly for each dwelling unit or separate commercial establishment, over one, served by the same meter. Minimum charges for additional dwelling units served by the same meter and billed to one account will be appropriate multiples of this schedule.
(j) High Strength Surcharges.
(1) In addition to the minimum charge and the commodity charge enumerated in this section, any user discharging wastewater containing BOD or CB-BOD in excess of 200 mg/l, SS in excess of 250 mg/l or total phosphorus in excess of 11 mg/l, shall pay the following additional charges:
Rate Per 100 Pounds of Excess | ||
Effective 1-1-09 | Effective 1-5-12 | |
BOD or CB-BOD (over 200 mg/l) | $40.00 | $42.00 |
SS (over 250 mg/l) | 40.00 | 42.00 |
Phosphorus (over 11 mg/l) | 280.00 | 285.00 |
(2) Effective January 1, 2020, in addition to the minimum charge and the commodity charge enumerated in this section, any user discharging wastewater containing BOD or CB-BOD in excess of 200 mg/l, TSS in excess of 225 mg/l, or total phosphorus in excess of 11 mg/l, COD in excess of 375 mg/l shall pay the following additional charges:
High Strength Surcharges | Rate Per 100 Pounds of Excess |
BOD or CB-BOD (over 200 mg/l) | $42.00 |
TSS (over 225 mg/l) | $42.00 |
Phosphorus (over 11 mg/l) | $290.00 |
COD (over 375 mg/l) | $15.00 |
(k) Miscellaneous Charges. In addition to the charge enumerated in this section, each user shall pay the charges for miscellaneous service as determined by the Engineer. The current schedule of miscellaneous charges is contained in Attachment A following this chapter. The charges may be revised by the Superintendent and approved by the City Manager, as deemed appropriate. The Finance Director shall devise and procure the appropriate billing forms for such miscellaneous charges. The Superintendent shall turn over to the Finance Director, in the manner prescribed by law, all moneys received as a result of the miscellaneous charges, which moneys shall be credited to the Sewer Fund.
(l) Rules and Regulations. The Engineer, with the approval of Council, shall establish proper rules and regulations covering the furnishing of sewage service to customers.
(m) Responsibility for Payment; Unpaid Accounts. Owners of property shall be held responsible for wastewater used on their premises, but payments will be accepted from tenants thereof. In case the tenants do not pay in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Department of Wastewater Treatment, sewer service will not be supplied to the property. All unpaid accounts for wastewater service shall be certified to the County Auditor for collection with general taxes in accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio.
(n) Shut-Off of Service for Repairs, Extensions, Etc. The City reserves the right, at any time, to shut off sewer service in the mains for the purpose of making repairs or extensions or for other necessary purposes.
(o) Charges for Damage to the System. A system user who is responsible for damage to the system shall be charged the full cost of repair of the damage to the system. The cost shall include, but is not limited to, labor, equipment, materials, administrative expenses, interest on borrowed funds, engineering, legal or other professional fees and charges to the City by other utilities or departments.
(p) Additional Meters. A customer of the Municipal water system may purchase an additional meter from the City and install the water meter at the customer's own expense on an outside water line used by the customer solely for the watering of lawns or other outdoor activities where the water used does not return to or enter the City sanitary or combined sewerage systems. Any water used through such a meter shall not be billed as a separate water meter, but rather the water used through such a meter shall be added to the customer's regular meter usage and billed as part of the minimum or additional water consumption of the customer, as provided in Section 925.01. However, the customer shall not be liable to pay any charge for sanitary sewerage usage in connection with water used through such a water meter on such an outside water line.
(q) Suspension of Imposition and Collection of Sewer Capital Charges. Council may suspend the imposition and collection of that portion of the sewer capital charge necessary to meet payments to the Ohio Water Development Authority and/or the debt service charges for a period of time during which a Municipal income tax or other general source of income is available for such purposes and is being collected in sufficient amounts to meet such payments. If such an income tax or other general source of revenue is being collected, but not in sufficient amounts to meet such payments, so much of the sewer capital charge as is necessary to meet such payments may be imposed.
(r) Retroactive Application of Charges. After the effective date of this section (Ordinance 4252, passed December 21, 1992), all bills issued for sewage service shall be computed at the rate specified in this section, regardless of when the actual service was provided.
(Ord. 4782. Passed 12-20-99; Ord. 4861. Passed 11-20-00; Ord. 4948. Passed 1-7-02; Ord. 5005. Passed 12-16-02; Ord. 5056. Passed 8-18-03; Ord. 5077. Passed 12-1-03; Ord. 5117. Passed 11-15-04; Ord. 5160. Passed 11-7-05; Ord. 5206. Passed 12-4-06; Ord. 5243. Passed 11-19-07; Ord. 5288. Passed 11-17-08; Ord. 5336. Passed 11-2-09; Ord. 5384. Passed 11-15-10; Ord. 5442. Passed 12-5-11; Ord. 5478. Passed 7-2-12; Ord. 5491. Passed 12-3-12; Ord. 5531-13. Passed 11-4-13; Ord. 5574-14. Passed 12-15-14; Ord. 5825-19. Passed 5-20-19; Ord. 5865-20. Passed 10- 19-20; Ord. 5923-22. Passed 11-7-22; Ord. 5953-23. Passed 11-6-23.)