(a) A one-time tap fee shall be paid by all persons requesting new service connections to the city water system or sewer system. Tap fees are for the additional demand upon the city’s sewer and water systems caused by the new usage and shall be designed to recover the incremental cost of providing trunk and treatment facilities for the persons benefitting from new connections and shall include the meter installation fee, the inspection fee, and the like, in accordance with city ordinances (See Chapters 1042 and 1046).
(1) Water system/sewer system tap fees shall be paid prior to the issuance of a building permit or, in the case of an existing building, at the time of application for a service connection.
(2) Water system/sewer system tap fees shall be based on the size of water meter(s) serving the premises. In the event water service is not requested concurrent with application for sewer service, the City Manager or his or her designee will estimate the size of water service required to serve the premises and the tap fee will be based on that size.
(3) Water system/sewer system tap fee reductions shall be as follows.
A. If a fee has been charged or a fee levied for the availability of trunk facilities, the tap fee shall be paid in addition to such fee or charge.
B. Water system/sewer system tap fees shall be reduced to an amount consistent with written contracts or easement agreements which may have exempted property from tap fees.
(4) Water system/sewer system tap fee adjustments shall be as follows.
A. In the event a customer requests that an existing meter be replaced with a larger service and/or meter, the tap fee will be adjusted to the difference in the tap fee for the larger connection and the existing meter, provided that the service line for the existing meter, if unused, is disconnected at the water main at the customer’s expense.
B. In the event a customer requests that an existing meter be replaced with a smaller meter, no rebate of the tap fee will be made and the customer must pay the cost of downsizing the meter. Meters will not be downsized if the connected water demand is equal to or greater than the safe operating capacity of the meter requests.
(5) The amount of the tap fees and water system/sewer system cost recovery fees shall be as established and modified by ordinance of Council to reflect the cost of the availability of the water system/sewer system, and any cost recovery fees shall be added to the tap fees.
(b) Water system/sewer system user rates shall be charged based on capacity (meter size) requirements (unless an alternate sewer system service agreement is entered into and approved by the Council), the volume of water used and, in the case of sewage, a surcharge to cover the additional cost of treating wastes stronger than domestic sewage. User fees shall be in an amount as established and modified by ordinance from time to time by Council.
(c) Cost recovery extension fees are those charges established by city ordinance pursuant to Chapter 1052. Cost recovery charges are for the availability of sewer and water service and represent costs over and above tap fees for specific water/sewer main projects.
(Ord. 98-81, passed 11-24-1998)