For the use of and the service rendered by the sewage works, rates and charges shall be collected from the owners of each and every lot, parcel of real estate or building that is connected with the city sanitary system or otherwise discharges sanitary. Sewage, industrial wastes, water or other liquids, either directly or indirectly, into the sanitary sewerage system of the city. Such rates and charges include user charges, debt service costs, excessive strength surcharges and other service charges which rates and charges shall by payable as hereinafter provided and shall be in an amount determinable as follows:
(A) The sewage rates and charges shall be based on the quantity of water used on or in the property or premises subject to such rates and charges, as the same is measured by the water meter there in use, except as herein otherwise provided. Water meters will be read periodically, and sewage service bills shall be rendered once each month (or period equaling a month). The water usage schedule on which the amount of said rates and charges shall be determined, shall be as follows:
(1) For each full monthly billing cycle that begins after December 1, 2020, unless superseded as below:
Quantity of Water Used Per Month | Total Monthly Rate Per 1,000 Billed Gallons |
First 2,000 Gallons | $21.68 |
Next 6,000 Gallons | $19.26 |
Next 12,000 Gallons | $16.42 |
Over 20,000 Gallons | $13.47 |
(2) For each full monthly billing cycle that begins after December 1, 2021, unless superseded as below:
Quantity of Water Used Per Month | Total Monthly Rate Per 1,000 Billed Gallons |
First 2,000 Gallons | $22.84 |
Next 6,000 Gallons | $20.30 |
Next 12,000 Gallons | $17.30 |
Over 20,000 Gallons | $14.20 |
(3) For each full monthly billing cycle that begins after December 1, 2022, unless superseded as below:
Quantity of Water Used Per Month | Total Monthly Rate Per 1,000 Billed Gallons |
First 2,000 Gallons | $24.01 |
Next 6,000 Gallons | $21.33 |
Next 12,000 Gallons | $18.19 |
Over 20,000 Gallons | $14.92 |
(B) (1) The minimum charge for any service where the user is a metered customer, shall be based on the size of the meter serving such customer and shall be as follows:
(a) 1. For each full monthly billing cycle that begins after December 1, 2020, unless superseded as below:
Water Meter Size | Monthly Minimum Charge |
Water Meter Size | Monthly Minimum Charge |
5/8 - 3/4 inch | $43.37 |
1 inch | $57.92 |
1 - 1/4 inch | $115.63 |
1 - 1/2 inch | $192.95 |
2 inch | $433.71 |
3 inch | $771.15 |
4 inch | $1,156.64 |
6 inch | $1,927.61 |
1. For customers of the sewage works that are unmetered, the monthly charge shall be based on 6,000 gallons per month as follows:
Residential | Monthly Charge |
Non-metered charge | $120.42 |
(b) 1. For each full monthly billing cycle that begins after December 1, 2021, unless superseded as below:
Water Meter Size | Monthly Minimum Charge |
Water Meter Size | Monthly Minimum Charge |
5/8 - 3/4 inch | $45.69 |
1 inch | $61.02 |
1 - 1/4 inch | $121.82 |
1 - 1/2 inch | $203.29 |
2 inch | $456.94 |
3 inch | $812.47 |
4 inch | $1,218.60 |
6 inch | $2,030.88 |
2. For customers of the sewage works that are unmetered, the monthly charge shall be based on 6,000 gallons per month as follows:
Residential | Monthly Charge |
Non-metered charge | $126.88 |
(c) 1. For each full monthly billing cycle that begins after December 1, 2022, unless superseded as below:
Water Meter Size | Monthly Minimum Charge |
Water Meter Size | Monthly Minimum Charge |
5/8 - 3/4 inch | $48.01 |
1 inch | $64.12 |
1 - 1/4 inch | $128.02 |
1 - 1/2 inch | $213.63 |
2 inch | $480.18 |
3 inch | $853.78 |
4 inch | $1,280.56 |
6 inch | $2,134.14 |
2. For customers of the sewage works that are unmetered, the monthly charge shall be based on 6,000 gallons per month as follows:
Residential | Monthly Charge |
Non-metered charge | $133.34 |
(2) A customer's monthly sewage bill shall be deemed due on the date that such bill is postmarked.
(3) The fees for the services rendered by the said sewage works are hereby found to be non-discriminatory, reasonable just, equitable, and required to maintain the said sewage works in the sound physical and financial condition necessary to render adequate and efficient services.
(4) All fees provided for herein shall be for services rendered by said sewage works and shall remain in full force and effect until properly changed in accordance with the laws of the State of Indiana.
(5) A copy of the schedule of rates and charges adopted herein shall be kept on file and available for public inspection in the office of the Clerk-Treasurer of the city.
(6) The express or implied repeal or amendment by this section of any other ordinance or part of any other ordinance does not affect any rights or liabilities accrued, penalties incurred, or procedures begun prior to the effective date of this section. Those rights, liabilities, and proceedings are continued, and penalties shall be imposed and enforced under the repealed or amended ordinance as if this section had not been adopted.
(7) This section shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and adoption, and approval by the Mayor. The said rates and charges shall be applied with the first full billing cycle thereafter.
(C) In order that the single family domestic and residential users of the sewage service, who are current on their sewer bill, shall not be penalized for sprinkling lawns during the summer months of June, July, August and September, the billing for sewage service for residences and/or domestic users for those months shall be based upon the water usage for the previous months of December, January, and February. In the event the water usage for the summer months is greater than the average water usage for the summer months, then the billing for sewage services shall be computed on the average water used in the month for which the sewage service bill is being rendered. Domestic and/or residential sewage service as applicable to the sprinkling rate shall apply to each lot, parcel of real estate, or building which is occupied and used as a single family residence. The sprinkling rate shall not apply to any premises which are partially or wholly used for commercial or industrial purposes. In the event a portion of such premises shall be used for commercial or industrial purposes, the owner shall have the privilege of separating the water service so that the residential portion of the premises is served through a separate meter and in such case the water usage as registered by the water meter serving such portion of the premises used for residential purposes would qualify under the sprinkling rate. Any residential customer desiring the sprinkling credit must first make a written request to the city. Any request so made by a residential customer that is more than 30 days delinquent on paying their sewer bill to the city at the time of the request shall be denied the credit.
(D) For the service rendered to the city, the city shall be subject to the same rates and charges herein above provided.
(E) The fees established herein shall be due on the dates of mailing of bills therefor.
(F) A copy of the schedule of rates and charges adopted herein shall be kept on file and available for public inspection in the office of the Clerk-Treasurer of the city.
(Ord. 505-76, passed 7-20-76; Am. Ord. G-92-1057, passed 7-13-92; Am. Ord. G-94-1070, passed 8-15-94; Am. Ord. G-07-1173, passed 6-18-07; Am. Ord. G-08-1180, passed 6-16-08; Am. Ord. G-10-1192, passed 6-7-10; Am. Ord. G-12-1201, passed 5-21-12; Am. Ord. G-13-1311, passed 11-4-13; Am. Ord. G-14-1315, passed 6-2-14; Am. Ord. G-14-1317, passed 7-7-14; Am. Ord. 17-1352, passed 4-3-17; Am. Ord. 17-1357, passed 11-20-17; Am. Ord. 20-1393, passed 12-7-20)