A.
A sewer service charge schedule shall be used for
deriving revenues for financing and maintaining sewage collection
and treatment facilities. The funds derived from these charges shall
be used for all municipal expenses associated with design, engineering,
constructing, improving or maintaining a sewerage system, including
engineering, planning, construction, reconstruction of sewers and
sewage treatment works and all necessary appurtenances thereto, including
pumping stations, extension, enlargement, replacement or additions
to the sewer system, separation of sanitary and stormwater sewers
or the preliminary or other studies and surveys relative thereto and
for the acquisition of land or rights-of-way for any of the capital
improvements.
B.
The sewer service charge shall be assigned to owners
of properties located within or without the corporate limits of the
City of Watertown who contribute sewage or industrial wastes to the
municipal sanitary sewer system.
C.
Rates.
[Last amended 6-19-2023 by L.L. No. 1-2023[1]]
(1)
The basis for the normal sewer service charge shall
be the volume of water consumed from the public water supply system
by the individual property owner. The rates for both domestic and
industrial metered sewer service within the City of Watertown shall
be as follows:
(a)
Quarterly meter rates:
|
Usage
|
Rate
[per 1,000 cubic feet (7,480 gallons)]
| |
|---|---|---|
|
First 1,200 cubic feet (8,976 gallons)
|
$39.50
| |
|
Over 1,200 cubic feet (8,976 gallons)
|
$23.05
|
(b)
Monthly meter rates:
|
Usage
|
Rate
[per 1,000 cubic feet (7,480 gallons)]
| |
|---|---|---|
|
First 400 cubic feet (2,992 gallons)
|
$39.50
| |
|
Over 400 cubic feet (2,992 gallons)
|
$23.05
|
(c)
Minimum charge for quarterly inside-City use:
|
Meter Size
(inches)
|
Cubic Feet
|
Gallons
|
Minimum Charge
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5/8
|
900
|
6,732
|
$35.55
| |
|
3/4
|
1,500
|
11,220
|
$54.32
| |
|
1
|
2,700
|
20,196
|
$81.97
| |
|
1 1/2
|
5,100
|
38,148
|
$137.27
| |
|
2
|
8,400
|
62,832
|
$213.30
| |
|
3
|
15,900
|
118,932
|
$386.13
| |
|
4
|
26,400
|
197,472
|
$628.07
| |
|
6
|
51,900
|
388,212
|
$1,215.65
| |
|
8
|
84,000
|
628,320
|
$1,955.31
| |
|
10
|
120,000
|
897,600
|
$2,784.83
|
(d)
Minimum charge for monthly inside-City use:
|
Meter Size
(inches)
|
Cubic Feet
|
Gallons
|
Minimum Charge
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5/8
|
300
|
2,244
|
$11.85
| |
|
3/4
|
500
|
3,740
|
$18.11
| |
|
1
|
900
|
6,732
|
$27.32
| |
|
1 1/2
|
1,700
|
12,716
|
$45.76
| |
|
2
|
2,800
|
20,944
|
$71.10
| |
|
3
|
5,300
|
39,644
|
$128.71
| |
|
4
|
8,800
|
65,824
|
$209.35
| |
|
6
|
17,300
|
129,404
|
$405.22
| |
|
8
|
28,000
|
209,440
|
$651.77
| |
|
10
|
40,000
|
299,200
|
$928.28
|
(2)
Elderly exemption:
|
Unit
|
Charge
| |
|---|---|---|
|
1
|
$3.95
| |
|
2
|
$7.90
| |
|
3
|
$11.85
| |
|
4
|
$15.80
| |
|
5
|
$19.75
| |
|
6
|
$23.70
| |
|
7
|
$27.65
| |
|
8
|
$31.60
|
[1]
Editor’s Note: This local law provided that the sewer
service charges shall be instituted with the sewer bills dated on
or after 7-1-2023.
D.
The City Council reserves the right to change the
water bill in accordance with the requirements of the above subsections.
The determination of the property owner's classification as industrial,
commercial or domestic shall be according to the present water charge
schedule.
E.
The sewer service charge assigned to any property
owner who is not connected to the public water supply system but who
is connected to the public sewers shall be based on the estimated
or measured volume of sewage contributed to the public sewers by such
property owner, as determined by the City Engineer. Such charges shall
be expressed in terms similar to water charge arrangements.
F.
The sewer service charge assigned to any property
owner, with both a public and private water supply, whose contribution
of sewage to the public sewers exceeds the volume of public water
consumer by the owner, as evidenced by his water bill, shall be based
on the estimated or measured volume of sewage entering the public
sewers as determined by the City Engineer. Such charges shall be expressed
in terms similar to water charge arrangements.
G.
The sewer service charge assigned to any property
owner who contributes industrial wastes to the public sewers or who
contributes a combination of sewage and industrial wastes to the public
sewers shall be determined as follows:
(1)
The sewer service charge shall be determined in accordance
with the previous subsections.
(2)
A surcharge shall be added to the sewer service charge
for any waste which exceeds the maximum strength and concentration
standards. The charge shall depend on the strength and character of
the waste finally admitted to the public sewers and shall be calculated
in accordance with procedures outlined in Schedule A.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Schedule A is included at the
end of this chapter.
H.
Billing.
(1)
Sewer service charges shall be billed with the water bill monthly for industrial accounts and quarterly for domestic accounts. Gross amounts due on these bills shall be due after the 20th day from the billing date. Net amounts are due by the 20th day from the billing date. A minimum sewer service charge shall be made for usage below minimum water usage and shall be equal to the quarterly minimum charge rate schedule as specified in Subsections C and D above. Sewer service charge payments shall constitute a lien upon the real property against which the charge is made. Delinquent sewer service charges shall be levied and collected as taxes, annually, against the real property for which they are made. If at any time net and gross billings are dropped from the water bill, the sewer service charge at the rate established from this Article shall be applied to the water bill with payment due at the same time as the water bill.
(2)
Surcharges shall be billed monthly. A penalty of 10%
of the total amount shall be added to any bill which is not paid on
or before the 20th day after the billing date. Surcharge payments
shall constitute a lien upon the real property against which the charge
is made. Delinquent surcharges shall be levied and collected as taxes,
annually, against the real property for which they are made.
(3)
Surcharges shall begin when the existing sewage treatment
plant has been upgraded to secondary treatment, the date thereof shall
coincide with the date of the engineer's certificate of substantial
completion of the project.
I.
The City Council reserves the right, from time to
time, to change sewer service charges originally or previously assigned
to any property owner.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 253-18,
Industrial cost recovery, was repealed 3-20-1995 by L.L. No. 2-1995.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 253-20,
Disposition of existing charges, was repealed 3-20-1995 by L.L. No.
2-1995.
