The wastewater service charge for the use of and for service supplied by the wastewater facilities of the City shall consist of a basic user charge for operation and maintenance plus replacement and local capital financing charge and a surcharge, if applicable. The user charge shall be based on water usage as recorded by water meters or sewage meters for wastes having the following normal domestic wastewater concentrations: (i) average day, 20ºC biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of 200 mg/l; (ii) a suspended solids (SS) content of 240 mg/l; (iii) an ammonia-nitrogen (NH 3 N) content of 40 mg/l; (iv) an oil and grease content of 100 mg/l; and (v) a sulfate content of 1,500 mg/l. It shall consist of operation and maintenance costs plus replacement and shall be computed as follows:

   1.   Estimate wastewater characteristics by volume, pounds of SS, pounds of BOD, pounds of NH 3 N and pounds of oil and grease to be treated, and customer bills to be sent.

   2.   Estimate the projected annual revenue required to operate and maintain the wastewater facilities including a replacement fund for the year, for all works categories.

   3.   Proportion the estimated costs to wastewater facility categories by volume, SS, BOD, ammonia-nitrogen (NH 3 N), oil and grease, and customer.

   4.   Develop unit rates for volume, BOD, SS, and NH 3 N, and oil and grease by dividing estimated costs in the Subsection 3 by estimated wastewater characteristics in Subsection 1.

   5.   Compute costs per 1,000 gallons for normal domestic wastewater.

   6.   Compute surcharge factor for multiplying time costs per 1,000 gallons for BOD, SS, NH 3 N, and oil and grease in excess of normal domestic wastewater. A surcharge will also be assessed for heavy metals or toxics that exceed acceptable limits. The charge will be determined according to the toxic or heavy metals involved.

   A sewer connect charge shall be assessed for each new, replaced, or altered building sewer that is connected to the public sanitary sewer system. The connection fee shall be charged to all making new connections, reconnections, or alterations to the public sewer system for new development or redevelopment. This does not apply to repairs, alterations, or reconnections that do not change use, location, or volume discharged to the public sanitary sewer system.

 

 

   The connection fee shall be a minimum of the number of units times the Single-Family Equivalent (SFE) times $300.00, or according to a formula developed by the City based on a proportions charge such as cost per acre, cost per lot, or flow requirement.

   The connection fee for each Single-Family Equivalent connection will be $300.00.

For any proposed use not listed in the above table the Single-Family Equivalent (SFE) shall be determined by the City Engineer from documented water usage for similar uses divided by 350 gallons per day per each Single-Family Equivalent.

   The adequacy of the wastewater service charge shall be reviewed annually by the City. The wastewater service charge shall be revised periodically to reflect a change in debt service and other local capital financing costs or a change in operation and maintenance costs including replacement costs.

   The volume of flow used for computing basic user charges and local capital financing charges shall be the metered water consumption read to the lowest even increment of 1,000 gallons.

   1.   If the person discharging wastes into the public sewers procures any part, or all, of said person’s water from sources other than the Municipal Water Department, all or a part of which is discharged into the public sewers, the person shall install and maintain, at said person’s expense, water meters of a type approved by the authorized City representative for the purposes of determining the volume of water obtained from these other sources.

   2.   Devices for measuring the volume of waste discharged may be required by the authorized City representative if these volumes cannot otherwise be determined from the metered water consumption records.

   3.   Metering devices for determining the volume of waste shall be installed, owned, and maintained by the person. Following approval and installation, such meters may not be removed, unless service is canceled, without the consent of the authorized City representative.

   The wastewater service charges established herein shall take precedence over any terms or conditions of agreements or contracts between the City and users which are inconsistent with the requirements of Section 204(b)(1)(a) of the Federal Act and the corresponding regulations.

   The wastewater service charge for all customers will be $10.98 per 1,000 gallons, and a service base rate of $5.50.

   All sewer service charges are due and payable under the same terms and conditions provided for payment of a combined service account as contained in Section 92.04. Sewer service may be discontinued or disconnected in accordance with the provisions contained in Section 92.05 if the combined service account becomes delinquent, and the provisions continued in Section 92.08 relating to lien notices shall also apply in the event of a delinquent account.

   Except as provided for in Section 92.07, the owner of the premises served and any lessee or tenant thereof shall be jointly and severally liable for sewer service charges to the premises. Sewer service charges remaining unpaid and delinquent shall constitute a lien upon the property or premises served and shall be certified by the Clerk to the County Treasurer for collection in the same manner as property taxes.

   Property subject to a lien for unpaid charges shall be sold for nonpayment of the same, and the proceeds of the sale shall be applied to pay the charges, after deducting costs, as is the case in the foreclosure of statutory liens. Such foreclosure shall be by bill-in-equity in the name of the City. The City is hereby authorized and directed to institute such proceedings in any court having jurisdiction over such matters against any property for which the bill has remained unpaid.

   All revenues and moneys derived from the operation of the sewerage system and wastewater treatment works shall be deposited in the wastewater account of the wastewater fund. All such revenues and moneys shall be held by the Clerk separate and apart from private funds and separate and apart from all other funds of the City and all of said sum, without any deductions whatever, shall be delivered to the Clerk not more than 10 days after receipt of the same, or at such more frequent intervals as may, from time to time, be directed by the Council. The Clerk shall receive all revenues from the sewerage system and wastewater treatment works and all other funds and moneys incident to the operation of such system as the same may be delivered to the Clerk and deposit the same in the account of the fund designated as the “Sanitation Fund of the City.” The Clerk shall administer such fund in every respect in the manner provided by statute of the Iowa Administrative Code.

   The Clerk shall establish a proper system of accounts and shall keep proper books, records, and accounts in which complete and correct entries shall be made of all transactions relative to the sewerage system and wastewater treatment works, and at regular annual intervals shall cause to be made an audit by an independent auditing concern of the books to show the receipts and disbursements of the sewerage system. In addition to the customary operating statements, the annual audit report shall also reflect the revenues and operating expenses of the wastewater facilities, including a replacement cost, to indicate that the wastewater service charges do in fact meet these regulations. In addition to the proper system of accounts established for the transactions relating to the sewerage system and wastewater treatment works a Sewer Replacement Fund shall be established specifically for direct costs related to replacement of capital equipment. The City shall deposit into the Sewer Replacement Fund on an annual basis a minimum of $62,500.00, or an amount to be calculated by the staff and approved by the Council.

   The State Department of Natural Resources shall have access to any books, documents, papers, and records of the City which are applicable to the City system of user charges for the purposes of making audit, examination, excerpts, and transcriptions thereof to ensure compliance with the terms of the Special and General Conditions to any federal or State grant.

   The wastewater service charge shall be reviewed periodically (at least every two years) and adjusted as appropriate to ensure that said charges generate sufficient funds for operation, maintenance, and replacement of the sewerage system and wastewater treatment works and local capital financing requirements.

   The City shall notify each user at least annually of the rate being charged for operation and maintenance, including replacement, of the sewerage system and wastewater treatment works.