Montague Municipal Code Ch. 13.16 Sewer Use Rates

Sections:

13.16.010 Purpose. 13.16.020 Definitions. 13.16.030 Use of funds. 13.16.040 Funding sources. 13.16.050 Connection generally—Fees. 13.16.060 Service charge. 13.16.070 Temporary suspension charges.

This chapter is enacted for the purpose of:

A. Adopting a schedule of charges to assure that each recipient of waste treatment services will pay its proportionate share of the costs of operation, maintenance, initial capital investment, and reserve accruals of the city wastewater treatment and disposal facilities, hereinafter referred to as “facilities”; and

B. Providing for a sewer connection fee and a sewer capital improvement fee. (Ord. 09-04, 2010; Ord. 148 § 1, 1978)

The following definitions apply under the provisions of this chapter:

A. “Sewer connection fee” means a charge for connecting to the city sewer system which will apply to offset the costs of connecting to the city sewer system.

B. “Wastewater service charge” means a charge for all users of the wastewater treatment and disposal facilities which will apply to offset annual operation, maintenance, amortization and reserve accrual costs of these facilities.

C. “Initial capital investment” means the direct initial capital costs incurred by the city in the construction of the facilities, exclusive of the initial grand funds provided by the United States Government and/or the state of California.

D. “Sewer capital improvement fee” means a charge for connecting to the city sewer system which will apply to offset capital improvement costs for the operating and maintenance of the sewer treatment and disposal facilities.*

E. “Industrial users” means users who discharge or cause to be discharged any industrial wastewater as defined at Subsection 13.12.040.13 and who are subject to the requirements of Chapter 13.12, Article V.

F. “Temporary suspension charge” mean charges that apply when a sewer user or owner of vacant or untenanted buildings requests a discontinuance of service. Such charges will continue until the city is notified to begin service again. (Ord. 09-04, 2010; Ord. 148 § 2, 1978)

• Editor's Note: The successor to Ord. 80 is codified in Chapter 13.20 of this code.

The elements of the wastewater treatment and disposal facilities to be funded under this chapter are the following:

• A. Construction and all related engineering and development costs;

• B. Operation and maintenance costs;

• C. Retirement costs for the revenue bonds used for financing construction and related engineering and development costs;

D. Costs for repair, replacement and additions of and to the facilities' collection system for present and future capacity requirements. (Ord. 148 § 4, 1978)

The funding of all costs related to the facilities shall be from the two sources described in Sections 13.16.050 and 13.16.060. (Ord. 148 § 5 (part), 1978)

A. On any street or alley in which sewer main or sewer lateral has been laid or installed by the city and is adequate to carry the flow of sewage available for disposition therethrough, the city will furnish the service connection complete from its main to the property line for scheduled charges to be paid by the person requesting such service connection in advance.

B. All new properties or developments or failed septic systems within 200 feet of an existing sewer main must hook up to the city sewer system. Main line extensions will be the property owner, commercial business or developer’s responsibility. The property owner, business or developer shall provide the city’s public works department detailed plans for review and approval by either the city engineer or the public works supervisor before construction. All improvements shall be constructed to meet the city of Montague’s construction standards and comply with Chapter 13.16, Sewer Use Rates, Chapter 13.20, Sewer Lateral Extensions, and Chapter 13.22, Sewer Installation and Maintenance Costs; System Responsibility. Sewer lateral extensions will follow the provisions of Chapter 13.20. All improvements must be done by a licensed contractor.

C. In cases when the director of public works decides that a larger diameter sewer line is required because of engineering factors related to the site and the city’s existing system, the city shall pay the invoice pipe price difference plus 15 percent, provided funds are available and an agreement is entered into with the city prior to commencement of work.

D. The sewer connection fee for all new connections within the city limits, including a four-inch lateral to the property line, is $475.00 (Ord. 14-02, 2014; Ord. 09-04, 2010; Ord. 05-01 § 1, 2005; Ord. 148 § 5(1), 1978)

A. The service charge is a charge to all users of the facilities to offset annual operation and maintenance costs, including replacement and repairs as well as the amortization costs for the initial capital investment, based on a period of forty (40) years, costs of administration, and costs of the annual reserve accrual.

B. The basic service charge shall be computed annually and is based on the total of the annual costs noted in subsection A of this section apportioned to the users of the system in accordance with their flow and pollutant contributions. The basic service charge is to be applied to all users in accordance with the rate schedule set forth in subsection C of this section.

C. The scheduling of amounts to be established pursuant to these guidelines for wastewater service charges is delineated on Exhibit A, attached to the ordinance codified in this article and incorporated herein by this reference. The minimum rate set forth on Exhibit A is for single-family or single commercial uses. Minimum rates for multiple dwellings or other structures shall be calculated by multiplying the minimum base for single users by the numbers of units in multiple structures.

1. The wastewater service charge shall apply to residential users;

2. The wastewater service charge shall apply to small commercial establishments;

3. Elementary schools. the main school sewer shall be charged four times the residential service charge per month, all other sewer connections shall be charged at the residential rate; and

4. Industrial users, per the following industrial rate formula:

Cu = 1.55(VsVu + Bsbu + SsSu)

Where:

Cu = annual rate to be charged to user.

Vu = volume of wastewater contributed by user (millions of gallons per year).

Bu = Biochemical oxygen demand contributed by user (pounds per year).

• Su = Suspended solids contributed by user (pounds per year).

• Vs = four hundred eighty-two dollars per million gallons.

• Bs = thirty-six cents per pound.

• Ss = twenty-seven cents per pound.

• Vs, Bs, and Ss are to be reviewed annually and revised periodically as necessary. (Ord. 09-04, 2010; Ord. 05-01 § 2, 2005; Ord. 148 § 5(2), 1978)

The city council is authorized to establish by resolution temporary suspension charges. The monthly wastewater charges provided for in subsection C of Section 13.16.060 will be charged to users unless notice is given that a building is vacant or untenanted or that the user requests discontinuance of service for any reason. Such request for discontinuance of service shall be made to the office of the city clerk, whose responsibility it shall be to notify the public works department of such discontinuance. The sewer user or owner of the vacant property shall be responsible for paying temporary suspension charges as provided for in Section 13.16.060 during the period the service is disconnected. (Ord. 09-04, 2010)