Rio Vista Municipal Code Art. I Sewer Service and Connection Charges

This article is adopted pursuant to the authority of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 4950), Part 3, Division 5 and Article 4 (commencing with Section 5470) of Chapter 6, Part 3, Division 5 of the Health and Safety Code of the state of California.

(Prior code § 22-1.1)

Unless the context otherwise indicates, the following words and phrases, shall, for the purposes of this article, have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section.

"City"

means the city of Rio Vista.

"Clerk"

means the city clerk of the city.

"Commercial facility"

means any premises which is not an industrial or residential facility.

"Council"

means the city council of the city.

"Industrial facility"

means any premises used for manufacturing, processing or other industrial purpose.

"Manager"

means the city manager.

"Premises"

means any structure used as a place of business or for education, recreation or other purpose or any unit, room or suite of rooms of such a structure containing plumbing fixtures.

"Residential facility"

means either a single-family or multifamily residence, which are defined as follows:

"Single-family"

refers to any single-family residence, mobilehome, duplex, or other detached structure.

"Multifamily"

means a residential project containing three or more attached dwelling units, including apartments, condominiums, and townhouses, except for townhouses that are single-family dwellings.

(Prior code § 22-1.2; Ord. 644 § 2, 2009)

Monthly sewer service charges are established for each facility which has a sewer connection with the sanitation sewerage works of the city or which discharges sewage that ultimately passes through such works. The schedule of charges may be reviewed or modified at any time by action of the city council, in accordance with applicable state and city regulations governing the passage of ordinances concerned with charges for municipal services.

(Prior code § 22-2.1)

Note: Former § 13.08.040, Amount of charge, derived from Ord. 644; and Ord. 666, was repealed by Ord. 017-2025, 6/17/2025.

The city council shall set the monthly rates for sewer service charges by ordinance or resolution. The failure to pay any charge shall constitute a violation of this chapter.

(Ord. 017-2025, 6/17/2025)

It is found and determined that excessive inflow and infiltration of stormwater into the sanitation sewerage facilities of the city damages and burdens the facilities and results in the perpetuation of unsafe and hazardous conditions in, and uneconomic and inefficient maintenance and operation of, the facilities. Based upon this finding there is established a monthly charge in the amount of forty-five cents ($0.45) upon facilities subject to the charges specified in Sections 13.08.030 through 13.08.050 and in addition to such charges. The proceeds of such charges shall be used for maintenance, operation, acquisition, construction and betterment of storm drains and sewerage facilities within the corporate limits of the city.

(Prior code § 22-2.5)

It is found and determined that facilities within the corporate limits of the city, through the payment of ad valorem taxes, contribute an amount to acquisition, construction, maintenance and operation costs of city sanitation sewerage works not contributed by facilities outside of such corporate limits which use city sanitation sewerage works and that the contribution of users to payment of such costs is therefor inequitable. Based upon such findings, the monthly charge to be paid by facilities located outside of the corporate limits of the city may be set at an amount higher than the monthly charge paid by such facilities inside the city limits; provided, however, that facilities outside of the corporate limits of the city shall not be responsible for payment of the additional charge specified in Section 13.08.060.

(Ord. 644 § 5, 2009)

Sewer connection charges are established in the amounts set forth in Sections 13.08.090 through 13.08.110 for the privilege of connecting to the sanitation sewerage works of the city.

(Prior code § 22-2.7)

Effective October 1, 2000, the amount of the connection charge for new facilities shall be as follows:

A. For each new residential facility, $6,158.

B. Commercial and industrial facilities shall be calculated in accordance with Table 3 of this section:

Table 3 Commercial Sewer Connection Fee Calculations (effective October 1, 2000) 1

C. The connection charge for new recreational vehicle pads shall be determined by the city manager, based upon estimated flows and length of occupancy, subject to approval by city council. In no event shall a connection charge for a single recreational vehicle pad exceed the amount applicable to new residential facility.

D. In the event that the quantity or quality of waste discharge by a commercial or industrial facility is of such a character that it will impose a more than normal maintenance burden on the sewage collection and treatment system, then the amount of the connection charge for such commercial or industrial facility shall be determined by the city manager, subject to approval by the city council.

(Prior code § 22-2.8; Ord. 573 § 1, 2000)

The connection charge for addition to existing facilities shall be determined by the city engineer. No reimbursement shall be given for removal of existing fixture units.

(Prior code § 22-2.9; Ord. 573 § 2, 2000)

Each year, commencing on July 1, 2001 and continuing thereafter on each July 1st, the connection charge shall be adjusted by an increment based on the change in the Engineering News-Record Construction Cost Index for San Francisco over the prior year.

However, the city council may as its option determine, by ordinance adopted prior thereto, that such adjustment shall not be effective for the next succeeding year, or may determine other amounts as appropriate.

(Prior code § 22-2.10; Ord. 573 § 3, 2000)

Computations and determinations required under this article shall be made by the city manager. In the event that any person is dissatisfied with any computation or determination made by the city manager under such sections, appeal therefrom may be taken within 15 days after receipt of the billing of a charge based upon such computation or determination. Such appeal shall be made by filing written notice of appeal, stating the grounds thereof, with the city council. This section does not authorize rate changes.

A. Adjustments to metered school, park or cemetery water amounts used to calculate sewer billing may be adjusted to deduct water used solely for irrigation by owners installing a city approved meter(s) so as to isolate and separately account for irrigation water going through the master meter.

B. If the installation of a meter as described in subsection A of this section is unfeasible due to cost or complexity of pipe systems, an adjustment shall be accomplished through the use of an estimate of the metered water used solely for irrigation. Such estimate must be supported with calculation work sheets and certified by a registered civil engineer at the owner's expense. Such estimate shall be subject to annual review.

(Prior code § 22-2.11)

The service charges established pursuant to Sections 13.08.040 through 13.08.060 shall not be levied upon a facility, other than individual rooms or suites of rooms in a hotel or motel, unoccupied for a period of 30 or more days; provided, however, that the owner or other person responsible for payment of the charges levied pursuant hereto provides written notice to the clerk of the proposed vacancy at least five days in advance thereof.

(Prior code § 22-2.12)

Sewer service charges established pursuant to this chapter shall be collected with the rates for water utility service rendered by the city and shall be billed with the regular monthly water bill of the city; provided, that facilities not receiving water service shall be billed separately at the same time as the water users within the city.

(Prior code § 22-3.1)

The property owner shall be responsible for all bills for sewer used on the property owner's premises and any and all unpaid bills for sewer service shall become a lien on the real property and may be collectible by legal action.

(Prior code § 22-3.2)

As an alternative to the procedure established by Section 13.08.130 the city council may by ordinance approve by a two-thirds vote of the members thereof, elect to have the current and/or delinquent sewer service charges of the city collected on the tax roll in the same manner, by the same persons, and of the same time as, together with and not separately from, the general taxes of the city. In the event of such election, the procedures prescribed by Sections 5473 through 5473a of the Health and Safety Code as amended from time to time shall apply.

(Prior code § 22-3.3)

Connection charges shall be due and payable at the time necessary building permits are obtained or, where no building permit is required, prior to actual connection to the city sanitation sewerage works. For mobilehome parks, connection charges shall be paid, prior to the time of the first connection of a mobilehome space, for the total number of mobilehome spaces permitted by the terms of the use of equivalent permit for the mobilehome park. The charge to be paid is the charge that is applicable at the time that the charge is paid and the permit obtained.

(Prior code § 22-3.4)

All charges (other than sewer service charges for which provision is made, prior to delinquency, for collection thereof on the tax rolls on which general city taxes are collected) which are not paid within one month following the date such charge was due and payable shall be delinquent and a penalty of 10% of the charge shall be imposed one month following the date such charge was due and payable.

(Prior code § 22-4.1)

If charges remain delinquent for a period of 30 days, the charges shall constitute a lien against the lot or parcel of land against which same was imposed, upon recording thereof with the city clerk. Such lien shall have the force, effect and priority of a judgment lien and shall continue for three years from the time of recording unless sooner released or otherwise discharged. A statement of the city's bills to each property owner shall give notice of the lien provided by this section.

(Prior code § 22-4.2)

The city may collect unpaid charges by suit, in which event it shall have judgment for the cost of suit and reasonable attorneys' fees.

(Prior code § 22-4.3)

The city may disconnect any facility from the sewer system if charges are not paid after they shall have become delinquent. The city manager shall estimate the cost of disconnection of such facility and the cost of reconnection thereto, and the owner of such facility shall deposit the cost as estimated of disconnection and reconnection before such facility can be reconnected to the sewer system. In the event such arrearages are paid and the facility is reconnected to the sewer system, the city manager shall refund any part of the deposit remaining after payment of all costs of disconnection and reconnection. Upon reconnection, the owner shall also be required to make a deposit in an amount equal to the minimum charge for a two-month period for the sewer service. When the service is later discontinued, the two-month deposit shall be returned to the applicant, before which, however, any arrears shall be first deducted from the deposit.

(Prior code § 22-4.4)

During the period of nonconnection or disconnection, habitation of such facility by human beings shall constitute a public nuisance, whereupon the city council shall cause proceedings to be brought for the abatement of the occupancy of the facility by the human beings. In such event, and as a condition of connection or reconnection, there shall be paid to the city reasonable attorneys' fees and costs of suit arising in the action.

(Prior code § 22-4.5)

In the event any bill for sewer service charges remains unpaid in whole or part, for a period of one month, the city manager shall cause to have issued written notice of such delinquency to the property owner and the consumer facility by first class mail. If such overdue sewer bill has not been paid within 10 days after such notice, the city manager shall turn off and disconnect and discontinue city water service to the facility. Thereafter such service shall not be reconnected until the full charge including penalties and all sums owing are paid and in addition thereto, a charge of $25, is paid to the city for reconnection of the city water service.

(Prior code § 22-4.6)

The city may provide otherwise for the collection of delinquent charges. All remedies herein provided for their enforcement and collection are cumulative and may be pursued alternatively as the city determines.

(Prior code § 22-4.7)