§ 36-48. Sewer rates and special charges.

There is hereby established a uniform schedule of rates, other charges for the use, or reasonable availability for use, of the services and facilities of the municipal sanitary sewer system, by each residence, each unit of a multifamily residence, business establishment, public building, or other type of private building producing domestic sewage and/or wastewater. This provision shall not apply to any building having one connection to water or sewer service in a multi-unit building existing on May 1, 1981, provided that all new structures or subdivisions of existing structures shall have each unit billed individually unless the public works director determines that additional metering would not be feasible. Hotels, motels, boarding houses and other establishments providing temporary lodging facilities shall pay the sewer rate as one business.

(1)

Sewer rates. The base charge and sewer rates shall be as follows:

Residential Usage
Base charge	$18.50
0—5,000 gallons (per 1,000 gallons)	$3.57
Next 5,000 gallons (per 1,000 gallons)	$3.57
Next 5,000 gallons (per 1,000 gallons)	$4.18
All gallons over 15,000 (per 1,000 gallons)	$4.74

 

Commercial/Industrial Usage (including RV park)
Base charge	$35.25
0—5,000 gallons (per 1,000 gallons)	$4.82
Next 5,000 gallons (per 1,000 gallons)	$4.82
Next 5,000 gallons (per 1,000 gallons)	$5.14
All gallons over 15,000 (per 1,000 gallons)	$5.78

 

(2)

Sewer charges. The base charge for the availability of the sewer system shall be the same as the base charge for sewer as herein set out, provided a public sewer main is within 100 feet of the property line of said residence, business, or industry. The base charge shall not apply to unoccupied residences, businesses or industries provided that no water service, city or otherwise, is turned on.

(3)

Complaints or disputes. If the consumer believes his bill is in error, he shall present his claim, in writing at the city hall, before the bill becomes delinquent. Such claim, if made after the bill has become delinquent, shall not be effective in preventing discontinuance of service as heretofore provided. The consumer may pay such bill under protest and said payment shall not prejudice his claim.

(4)

Adjustments. The city administrator shall be authorized to make adjustments of water bills for the following reasons:

a.

Computer or clerical error;

b.

Erroneous meter readings;

c.

Malfunctioning water meter;

d.

Leaks in water line where water did not enter the sewer system. But in no case, shall such adjustment cover more than two billing cycles;

e.

To resolve disputes concerning bills. But in no case, shall such adjustment cover more than two billing cycles.

(5)

Sewer charges. Sewage system users who are not water system users shall be charged for sewer service in one of the following ways:

a.

At the request of the user, the city may elect to permit the user to pay sewage service charges based on water meter readings of non-city-supplied water. The meters shall be installed under the supervision of the public works director on all water supplies and the meter readings shall be used to compute the monthly sewer service charges in accordance with this article. The meters shall be of the type and style specified by the city and shall be supplied and installed at the expense of the user.

b.

Where the metering of water usage is impractical or unwanted, the city may elect to assess sewer service charges for various installations based on sewage flows estimated by the state environmental protection division as follows:

Type of Installation	Sewage Flow, Gallons per Day
Apartments and condominiums
1 Bedroom	175
2 Bedroom	250
3 Bedroom	325
4 Bedroom	400
Bowling alley
Per lane	125
Per employee	25
Overnight camping grounds
Per space	175
Church
Per seat	5
Coin laundries
Per washing machine	400
Hospitals and jails
Per bed	200
Industrial
Per employee	25
Per employee with showers	35
Nursing homes
Per bed	125
Per employee	25
Mobile home parks
Per space	300
Motel, hotel
Per unit	100
Medical
Per 1,000 square feet	500
Offices
Per employee	25
Per 1,000 square feet	175
Residences
1 Person	100
2 Persons	150
3 Persons	200
4 Persons	250
More than 4 persons	400
Restaurants
Per seat, without garbage grinder	45
Per seat, with garbage grinder	55
Per employee	25
Schools
General	12
Cafeteria	4
Cafeteria with garbage grinder	5
Gym	4
Service stations
Per car	10
Per employee	25
Stores, shopping centers
Per 1,000 square feet	100
Theatres
Per seat	5
Auditoriums, convention centers, assembly halls (no food service)
Per capita	10
Warehouses
Per 1,000 square feet	25

 

(6)

Security deposit. The consumer shall make application for sewer service in person, at the city hall, and at the same time and place, shall make a cash security deposit as follows:

a.

Residential service: $60.00.

b.

Commercial service: deposit shall equal two months average bill based on the last 12 months of service at the service location. Where there is no prior service at the service location, deposit shall be calculated on two months of base charges plus the average monthly usage for two months estimated of this section.

c.

Industrial service: by contract.

(7)

Sewer connection charge. A sewer connection charge to compensate the city for the expense of making sewer connections shall be paid by each user. The sewer connection charge shall be as follows:

a.

Residential: $700.00.

b.

Commercial/industrial: fee shall be $4,000.00 minimum, except that for an RV park the charge shall be $1,750.00 per space.

Where depth of connection, pavement, sidewalks, or other physical conditions cause excess installation cost by the city, these costs will be assigned to the user as connection charges. There shall be no labor charge for the first three hours of work. All work over three hours shall be billed to the customer. The customer shall be billed for in excess of 50 feet and any other materials not normally used in connection to sewer pipe at cost.

(8)

No free sewer service. There shall be no free service rendered by the municipal sewer system. Whether actually connected to the sewer system or not, sewer service shall be considered as rendered to the customer and the monthly sewer service charge shall be imposed, provided the city has made available a sewer line located at a satisfactory below-ground elevation in a street, alley, or easement adjacent to the lot or parcel of the property and within reasonable proximity of the structure to be served, it having been deemed essential to the health and well-being of the citizens that the city expend funds to make such service available. Such sewer service charges shall be imposed as set forth in this article.

(9)

Bills. Bills for sewer shall be rendered monthly to the owner or occupant of the premises served by the sewer system and no discount shall be allowed for prompt payment thereof. If any bill shall not be paid before the 20th day following the original date of billing, a charge equal to 12 percent of the amount of such bill shall be added thereto. If any bill shall not be paid within 30 days from the original date of billings, service shall be discontinued with no notice required. In the event the occupant is someone other than the owner, as in rental property, the owner shall be liable for the unpaid bill, provided that the city has given written notice of the delinquency by first class mail to the owner at their last-known address or the address on record in the county tax assessor's office within 90 days of the date the bill is delinquent. In the event the city fails to notify the owner as provided above, the owner shall not be liable for the sewer bill until the city provides written notice, at which time the owner becomes liable for the current bill and any future bills, but is not liable for any bills due before notice was given. The owner shall not be liable for sewer usage bill in excess of the amount accumulated 30 days from the original billing date, provided the premises is connected to the city water system, but shall be liable for the base charge during the entire period of occupancy. If the premises are connected to any other than the city water system, the owner shall be liable for the entire charge during the period of occupancy. All sewer bills constitute indebtedness to the city and are collectable in the same manner as property taxes or through the small claims court of the county. In the event that service is discontinued for nonpayment of bills, the premises shall be disconnected from the sewer system of the city.

(10)

Reconnection charges. If the sewer is physically disconnected for nonpayment of sewer service charges, there shall be imposed a reconnection charge equivalent to a tap fee in addition to any reconnection charges for water service and other penalties incurred due to such interruption of service.

(11)

Other fees. The charges hereinbefore set forth shall in no way void requirements to pay other plumbing inspection and permit fees as may be adopted from time to time.

(12)

Records; city administrator. It shall be the duty of the city administrator to keep a record of all parties who are connected to the sanitary sewage system and to make changes in conformance with the rates herein established. The city administrator shall bid for such service in the same manner and according to the methods used for billing for water service furnished by the city.

(13)

Accessible sewer main. No water service shall be furnished by the city to any new building, residence or other structure having a sewer main located within 100 feet of the property line unless such business, residence or other structure is to be connected with the city sewer; and no septic tank or other individual sewage disposal method shall be utilized for any such new building, residence or other structure having a sewer main within 100 feet of the property line.

(14)

Returned check fees.

a.

Checks returned by banking institutions for any reason shall be subject to a $25.00 returned check fee.

b.

When a check is returned, the customer shall be notified by a door tag on the same day the check is returned which states that services will be discontinued at 5:00 p.m., two business days from the date the check was returned unless payment is made prior to that time. The tag shall give the total amount due (amount of check plus the returned check fee).

c.

Any customer having two returned checks shall no longer be allowed to pay for services with a personal check. All future payments shall be made by cash, money order or cashier's check.

d.

The city administrator may, at his discretion, waive or remove the returned check fee or penalty.

(Code 1985, § 7-111)