The service charge to be paid by all contributors of the Abilene Municipal Wastewater Collection and Treatment System shall be based on winter water use and continue for twelve (12) months beginning with the April billing. Winter water use shall be defined as the average monthly water metered for each user during the months of December, January and February of each year. Nonresidential users may request sewer charges to be billed based upon actual water usage for each of the twelve months. The city will permit deviations therefrom upon being satisfied by the substantial evidence that an adjustment is due; provided, that the nonresidential user can establish the extent of any non-sewered water usage.
(Ord. 3231)
For new users who have never established a winter water use as described in this article, the monthly wastewater service charge shall be established based on an estimated water usage of 100 gallon per capita per day based on the number of persons residing on the premises and the service charge so ascertained shall be paid by such new users until said user’s winter water use can be established as described in this article.
(Ord. 3231)
In the event a lot, parcel of land, premise or facility discharging wastewater, industrial process waste, water or other liquids, either directly or indirectly into the city’s wastewater collection and treatment system or which eventually enters the system, is supplied with water from any source other than from the city’s municipal water system then the sewer user charge will be estimated at 100 gallon per capita per day, unless the owner of lot, parcel of land, premise or facility installs, and maintains at the owner’s expense a water meter approved by the Water Department. This meter shall serve as a control for the establishment of the sewer user charge and shall be accessible to the city’s meter readers.
(Ord. 3231)
Where more than one water meter is installed for service to one industry or commercial business located at a single site or adjoining sites, only one minimum monthly charge shall apply. The additional monthly charge shall apply to the total average winter water use from all meters which supply service to one industry or commercial business located at a single site or adjoining sites.
(Ord. 3231)
Where it can be established that a contributor has had a water leak during the establishment of the contributor’s average winter water use, the contributor’s charge may be adjusted by the Cashier of the Utility Office by using the previous year’s average winter water use or portion thereof.
(Ord. 3231)
If wastewater service is commenced or terminated during a period for which bills are rendered, billing shall be prorated on a daily basis.
(Ord. 3231)
The sewer rates for all residential, commercial, and industrial users of the municipal wastewater collection and treatment system shall be a minimum monthly charge of fifteen dollars and thirty cents ($15.30), plus an additional monthly charge of sixty-four and fourt-tenths cents ($0.644) for each 100 gallons of winter water use. The sewer rates for all extraterritorial residential, commercial, and industrial users of the municipal wastewater collection and treatment system shall be a minimum monthly charge of twenty-two dollars and ninety-four cents ($22.94), plus an additional monthly charge of ninety-six and six-tenths cents ($0.966) for each 100 gallons of winter water use.
(Ord. 3173; Ord. 3231; Ord. 3377; Ord. 3394; Ord. 3412; Ord. 3442)
The city shall annually review user charges and revise such rates, if necessary, to reflect, as a minimum, the following conditions:
(a) User charges shall maintain a proportional distribution of operation, maintenance and replacement costs among all users and/or user classes.
(b) User charges shall generate adequate revenues to pay the costs of operation, maintenance and replacement.
(c) All end of year balances collected through user charges to pay for operation, maintenance and replacement must be carried over to the next year and user charges adjusted accordingly.
(Ord. 3231)
The city shall annually notify each user with a regular bill of the rate and that portion of user charges which are attributable to wastewater treatment. Billings for wastewater service shall be rendered at the same time and on the same bills issued for water service, but shall be shown as a separate item from the charge for water.
(Ord. 3231)
Any user shall be
assessed one or more of the following surcharges, in addition to any sewer user
charges, if the wastes discharged by the user have concentrations greater than
normal domestic wastewater as defined in this chapter.
(a) BOD Surcharge: A surcharge shall be imposed
upon a user when the BOD concentration in such user=s wastewater exceeds 200
mg/L. Such surcharge shall be equal to the BOD surcharge rate of $0.21 (214)
multiplied by the number of pounds in excess of 200 mg/L.
(b) TSS Surcharge: A surcharge shall be imposed
upon a user when the TSS concentration in such user=s wastewater exceeds 275
mg/L. Such surcharge shall be equal to the TSS surcharge rate of $0.31 (314)
multiplied by the number of pounds in excess of 275 mg/L.
(c) The characteristics of wastewater and the rates to which the surcharge(s) will be applied may be modified or supplemented periodically by the city.
(Ord. 3231)
Any industrial user requesting sewer service shall establish or cause to be established the quality, quantity and peak flow rate characteristics of said user’s wastewater and shall present this information to the City Engineer in such a manner that the City Engineer shall determine if a surcharge shall be established for said user. The cost of establishing these characteristics shall be paid for by the user.
(Ord. 3231)
Under the surcharge program, any industrial user’s share shall be based on all factors which significantly influence the cost of the wastewater collection and treatment system, such as quality, volume, and delivery flow rate characteristics. As a minimum, an industrial user’s share shall be proportional to its flow in relation to the treatment works flow. Whenever current standards, regulations or guidelines are altered by any governmental agency in such a manner as to cause an expansion and/or upgrading of the treatment works which are not covered by user’s fees, and require additional funds, each contributor’s surcharge fee will be adjusted in accordance with the current regulations to reflect the costs of expanding and/or upgrading the treatment works.
(Ord. 3231)