Chapter 99 – Sewer User Charge System

CHAPTER 99 SEWER USER CHARGE SYSTEM 99.01 Purpose 99.08 Responsibility for Increased Costs 99.02 Definitions 99.09 Application 99.03 Use of Funds 99.10 Payment of Bills 99.04 Accounts Designated 99.11 Lien for Nonpayment 99.05 Year-end Balances 99.12 Review of User Charge System 99.06 Charges Based on Usage 99.13 Notification of Rate Change 99.07 Minimum Charge 99.01 PURPOSE. It is determined and declared to be necessary and conducive to the protection of the public health, safety, welfare, and convenience of the City to collect charges from all users who contribute wastewater to the City’s treatment works. The proceeds of such charges so derived will be used for the purpose of operating, maintaining, and retiring the debt for such public wastewater treatment works. 99.02 DEFINITIONS. For use in this chapter, the following terms are defined: 1. “Operation and maintenance” means all expenditures during the useful life of the wastewater treatment works for materials, labor, utilities and other items which are necessary for the management and maintenance of the sewer works to achieve the capacity and performance for which such works were designed and constructed. 2. “Replacement” means expenditures for obtaining and installing equipment, accessories or appurtenances which are necessary during the useful life of the treatment works to maintain the capacity and performance for which such works were designed and constructed. The term “operation and maintenance” includes replacement. 3. “Treatment works” means any devices and systems used for the storage, treatment, recycling, and reclamation of municipal sewage, domestic sewage or liquid industrial wastes. These include intercepting sewers, outfall sewers, sewage collection systems, individual systems, pumping, power and other equipment and their appurtenances; extensions, improvement, remodeling, additions and alterations thereof; elements essential to provide a reliable recycled supply such as standby treatment units and clear well facilities; and any works, including site acquisition of the land, that will be an integral part of the treatment process or used for ultimate disposal of residues resulting from such treatment (including land for composting sludge, temporary storage of such compost and land used for the storage of treated wastewater in land treatment systems before land application); or any other method or system for preventing, abating, reducing, storing, treating, separating or disposing of municipal waste or industrial waste, including waste in combined storm water and sanitary sewer systems. 4. “Useful life” means the estimated period during which the wastewater treatment works will be operated. 5. “User” means each individual unit, even if it is located in a multiple unit being used for dwelling purposes, industrial purposes, commercial purposes, other purposes or a combination thereof and as may be determined by the City. 6. “User charge” means that portion of the total wastewater service charge which is levied in a proportional and adequate manner for the cost of operation, maintenance and replacement of the wastewater treatment works.