Sacramento Municipal Code Art. X Rates and Charges

Rates, fees, and charges for water service are established and shall be charged for water service. The amount of the rates, fees, and charges shall be set from time to time by ordinance or resolution of the city council. (Ord. 2011-051 § 5; Ord. 2001-033 § 1)

Customers to whom water service is rendered shall be responsible and liable for payment of the rates, fees, and charges for the service (on either a flat rate or metered rate basis). (Ord. 2011-051 § 6; Ord. 2001-033 § 1)

Customers establishing a new account for any city utility service provided under Title 13 of this code, or making changes to an existing account, shall pay a fee to cover the city's administrative processing costs, as established from time to time by resolution of the city council. (Ord. 2009-011 § 1)

Except as otherwise provided herein, the fees and charges for water service shall be billed and collected in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 13.12 of this code. (Ord. 2001-033 § 1)

The director may undertake any work or service on or for a premises' water service connection that the director deems necessary to maintain the safety of the city's water supply, or to correct any condition in violation of this chapter. The owner of the premises shall be responsible for the cost thereof, which may be added to the regular billing for the premises' water service and collected pursuant to Chapter 13.12. (Ord. 2015-0011 § 6; Ord. 2013-0014 § 17; Ord. 2001-033 § 1)

The charges imposed for water service to a customer by this chapter shall be collected together with the charges for any other utility service rendered to the customer by the city. Such water service charges shall be billed upon the same bill and collected as one item with such other utility service charges, unless other arrangements are approved by the director. (Ord. 2001-033 § 1)

The service connection installation fee for connection to a public water main shall be determined by reference to a schedule of rates established from time to time by resolution of the city council, and shall be paid in advance. (Ord. 2001-033 § 1)

A. If water service to any premises is disconnected pursuant to any provision of this code, the owner shall be responsible and liable for payment of the fee established by city council resolution to cover the city's costs to turn off the water, and that fee may be added to the regular billing for the water service and be collected in the same manner as other utility service charges pursuant to Chapter 13.12.

B. If water service to any premises is disconnected, the owner shall be responsible and liable for payment of the fee established by city council resolution to cover the city's costs to turn the water back on, and water shall not be turned on until the fees established pursuant to subsection A of this section and this subsection are paid in full.

C. If any person turns on water service or allows or causes it to be turned on, after it has been turned off by the city, the department may turn off the water service and may charge and collect the applicable fees each time this occurs, in addition to other amounts due, before water service is restored. (Ord. 2013-0014 § 19; Ord. 2001-033 § 1)

A. If a customer requests that the customer's water service or city sewer service be temporarily discontinued because all of the buildings receiving water service or city sewer service are vacant or have been demolished, the director shall grant a credit for nonuse of the customer's water service connection or city sewer service connection if authorized under this section and upon satisfaction of all of the following conditions:

1. Execution of a temporary stop service agreement as required by the department, which shall include authorization for disclosure to the department of the customer's water usage records if the customer is provided water by another water purveyor;

2. Payment of the applicable service and processing fee(s) established by city council resolution;

3. Payment of the current city utility bill in full;

4. The water service connection is turned off by department personnel, provided that this requirement shall not apply to any of the water service connections described in subsection C of this section;

5. If the customer receives city sewer service but is provided water by another water purveyor, verification from the other water purveyor of water shut-off or nonuse as required by the department; and

6. If the credit for nonuse is requested because all of the buildings receiving water service or city sewer service have been demolished, all demolition work must have been completed and given final approval by city officials in accordance with the applicable provisions of Chapter 8.96, 8.100, or 15.44.

B. The credit for nonuse of a water service connection being charged a flat rate shall be equal to the difference between the monthly flat rate and the monthly basic service charge that would apply to the connection if it were being charged a metered rate.

C. No credit shall be allowed or provided for nonuse of an irrigation service connection, fire service connection, or any other water service connection that has a water meter and is being charged a metered rate.

D. A credit for nonuse of water service or city sewer service shall be terminated when the water service is turned on by department personnel, upon occupancy of any building that receives the water service or city sewer service, or as provided in subsection E or F of this section.

E. For a parcel with a metered water service connection being charged a metered rate, other than an irrigation service or fire service connection, a credit for nonuse of city sewer service on the parcel shall be terminated if the water meter indicates that water is being used.

F. For a parcel with city sewer service but provided water by another water purveyor, a credit for nonuse of city sewer service on the parcel shall be terminated if the other water purveyor verifies that water is being used on the parcel. (Ord. 2013-0014 § 20; Ord. 2010-009 § 1; Ord. 2001-033 § 1)

A. General. Every lot or parcel that connects to the city water distribution system is subject to a water system development fee established to recover the capital costs of the city's existing or new water diversion, treatment, storage, and distribution facilities. No water service shall be furnished to the lot or parcel unless this fee has been paid. This requirement does not apply to the extent that the fee established by this section, or the equivalent thereof, has previously been paid by the owner of the lot or parcel, or a predecessor of the owner, or if the lot or parcel meets the qualifications for an infill site as established by city council resolution. Payment of this fee is in addition to payment of all other applicable fees and charges.

B. Amount of Water System Development Fee. The fee established by this section is determined by reference to a schedule of fees adopted by city council resolution, subject to annual adjustment made by the director as provided in subsection C of this section.

C. Annual Adjustment. In January of each year, the director shall adjust the water system development fee schedule then in effect to compensate for an increase in construction costs since the previous adjustment, by applying the following methodology:

1. The director shall first calculate the "current construction cost index," which shall be the average of: (a) the average construction cost index for twenty (20) U.S. cities published in the appropriate January issue of "Engineering News Record" (ENR) magazine; and (b) the construction cost index for San Francisco published in the same issue of ENR magazine.

2. The director shall then calculate the "fee adjustment factor," by dividing the current construction cost index calculated pursuant to paragraph 1 of this subsection by the construction cost index that was calculated in January of the last year in which the water system development fee schedule was changed.

3. If the fee adjustment factor calculated pursuant to paragraph 2 of this subsection is one or less, the water system development fee schedule then in effect shall remain unchanged. If the fee adjustment factor calculated pursuant to said paragraph is greater than one, the director shall adjust the water system development fee schedule then in effect by multiplying each of the fees therein by the fee adjustment factor. If the water system development fee schedule is adjusted as provided herein, the adjusted water system development fee schedule shall become effective on July 1st following the January when the fee adjustment factor is calculated pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 2 of this subsection.

D. Replacement Services. If an existing water service connection or meter is replaced by one of a larger size at the owner's request, the water system development fee equals the difference between the current fee for the existing service connection size and the current fee for the replacement service connection size. If the existing water service connection was oversized to provide water for fire protection in addition to commercial or domestic service, and no water system development fee was paid for the existing service, the calculation of the current fee for the existing service size excludes the size increment that was required solely for fire protection.

E. Fire Services. The water system development fee does not apply to connections made solely for fire service.

F. Credit for Major Facilities. Nothing in this ordinance prohibits the city council from authorizing appropriate credit toward water system development fees for property owners who were assessed or in some manner paid all or a portion of the cost of water diversion, treatment, storage, or transmission facilities.

G. Appeal. There is established a water system development fee determination board. The board's membership consists of the director and the building official, or their respective designees. Any person aggrieved by the determination of the water system development fee for property owned by such person may file a written appeal with the building official. The appeal shall be reviewed by the board, and notice of the determination of the board shall be given to the property owner. If the appeal is granted, an appropriate refund shall be made, based on the recalculated development fee.

If the appeal is not granted, notice shall be given to the property owner that shall briefly specify the reason for the decision of the board. Any property owner who receives such notice and who desires to have the appeal reconsidered by the board may apply for a hearing by filing a written application with the building official not later than fifteen (15) calendar days following the property owner's receipt of the notice that the written appeal was denied. The board shall, not later than thirty (30) calendar days after application for a hearing, schedule a hearing upon ten (10) days written notice to the property owner. The property owner or his or her representative may present at the hearing any evidence relevant to the appeal. The board shall reevaluate the appeal. In considering the appeal, the board may obtain an inspection report from the department. Written notice of the board's action shall be given to the property owner and the order of the board shall be final.

H. Nonpayment. If water service is initiated without payment of the water system development fee as required by this section, water service may be disconnected until the fee is paid. (Ord. 2013-0014 § 21; Ord. 2001-033 § 1)