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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990-OR-60 ORDINANCE NO.90-OR-60 An ordinance establishing a schedule of rates and charges to be collected by the City of Jeffersonville from the owners of property served by the sewage works of said City and other matters connected therewith. WHEREAS, the City has heretofore constructed and has in operation a sewage works for the purpose of collecting and disposing of the sewage of the City in a sanitary manner and has heretofore authorized construction of improvements thereto financed in part by grants' from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Indiana; and WHEREAS, the City is the recipient of a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Indiana; and WHEREAS, the City will sell revenue bonds to fund that portion of the cost of the sewage works not covered by grants; and WHEREAS, an examination of the existing schedule of rates and '~charges heretofore fixed by ordinances of the City fails to meet the guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection iAgency for recipients of federal grants; and WHEREAS, it is necessary to establish a new schedule of rates and charges to produce sufficient revenue to pay expenses of maintenance and operation, to pay the principal and interest onloutstanding and proposed revenue bonds, and to provide funds for necessary replacements and improvements to the sewage works, all in a manner in accordance with guidelines of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency~ now therefore BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF JEFFERSONVILLE, INDIANA Section 1. Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, the meaning of terms used in this ordinance shall be as follows: (a) "Council" shall mean the Common Council of the City of Jeffersonvilte, or any duly authorized officials acting on its behalf. (c) (d) (e) "BOD" (or Biochemical OXygen Demand) shall have the same meaning as defined in the Use Ordinance. "City" shall mean the City of Jeffersonvitle acting by and through the Council. "Debt service costs" shall mean the average annual principal ~nd interest payments on all outstanding revenue bonds or other longiterm capital debt. "Excessive strength surcharges" shall mean an additional charge which is billed to users for treating sewage wastes with an average strength in excess of "normal domestic sewage". (f) "Industrial wastes" shall mean the wastewater discharges from industrial, trade or business processes as distinct from employee wastes or wastes from sanitary conveniences. (g) (h) (z) (j) (k) (1) (m) (n) (o) (P) (q) (r) (s> "NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) Permit" shall have the same meaning as defined in the Sewer Use Ordinance. "NH3N" (or ammonia nitrogen) shall have the same meaning as defined in the Use Ordinance. "Normal'domestic sewage" (for the purpose of determining surcharges) shall mean wastewater or sewage having an average daily concentration as follows: BOD not more than 300 mt/1 S.S. not more than 300 mt/1 NH3N not more than 15 mg/1 As defined by origin, wastewaters from segregated domestic and/or sanitary conveniences as distinct from wastes from industrial processes. "Operation and maintenance costs" include all costs, direct and indirect, necessary to provide adequate wastewater collection, transport and treatment on a continuing basis and produce discharges to receiving waters that conform with all related Federal, State and local requirements. (These costs include replacement.) "Other service charges" shall mean tap charges, connection charges, area charges, and other identifiable charges, other than User Charges, debt service charges and excessive strength surcharges. "P" (or phosphorus) shall have the same meaning as defined in the Use Ordinance. "Person" shall mean any and all persons, natural or artificial, including any individual, firm, company, municipal or private corporation[ association, society, institution, enterprise, governmental agency or other entity. "Replacement costs" shall mean the expenditures for obtaining and installing equipment, accessories or appurtenances which are necessary during the useful life Of the treatment works to maintain the capacity and performance for which such works were designed and constructed. "S.S." (or suspended solids) shall have the same meaning as defined in the Use Ordinance. "Shall" is mandatory; "May" is permissive. "Sewage" shall have the same meaning as defined in the Sewer Use Ordinance. "Sewer Use Ordinance" shall mean a separate and companion enactment to this Ordinance, which regulates the connection to and use of public and private sewers. "User Charge" shall mean a charge levied on users of the wastewater treatment works for the cost of operation and maintenance of such works pursuant to Section 204(b) of Public Law 92-500. -2- "User Class" shall mean the division of wastewater treatment customers by source, function, waste characteristics, and process or discharge similarities (i.e., residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, and governmental in the User Charge System). Residential User shall mean a user of the treatment works whose premises or building is used primarily as a residence for one or more persons, including all dwelling units, etc. Commercial User shall mean any establishment involved in a commercial enterprise, business or' service which, based on a determination by the City discharges primarily segregated domestic wastes or wastes from sanitary conveniences. Institutional User shall mean any establishment involved in a social, charitable, religious, and/or educational function which, based on a determination by the City, discharges primarily segregated domestic wastes or wastes from sanitary conveniences. Governmental User shall mean any Federal, State, or local governmental user of the wastewater treatment works. Industrial User - shall mean any manufacturing or processing facility that discharges industrial waste to a publicly owned treatment works. Section 2. Every person whose premises are served by said sewage works shall be charged fot the services provided. These charges are established for each user class, as defined, in order that the sewage works shall recover, from each user and user class, revenue which is proportional to its use of the treatment works in terms of volume and load. User charges are levied to defray the cost of operation and maintenance (including replacement) of the treatment works. User charges shall be uniform in magnitude within a user class. (a) User charges are subject to the rules and regulations adopted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Replacement costs, which are recovered through the system of user charges, shall be based upon the expected service life of the sewage works equipment. (b) The various classes of users of the treatment works for the purposes of this Ordinance, shall be as follows: 1. Residential 2. Commercial 3. Governmental 4. Institutional 5. Industrial Section 3. For the use of and the service rendered by said sewage works, rates and charges shall be collected from the owners of each and every lot, parcel of real estate or building that is connected with the City's sanitary system or otherwise discharges sanitary sewage, industrial wastes, water or other liquids, either directly or indirectly, into the sanitary sewerage system of the City of Jeffersonville. Such rates and charges include User Charges, debt service costs, excessive strength surcharges and other service charges, which rates and charges shall be payable as hereinafter provided and shall be in an amount determinable as follows: -3- (a) Metered Water Users: The sewage rates and charges shall be based on the quantity of water used on or in the property or premises subject to such rates and charges, as the same is measured by the water meter there in use, subject to a minimum charge, except as herein otherwise provided. For the purpose of billing and collecting the charges for sewage service, the water meters shall be read monthly (or period equaling a month). The water usage schedule on which the amount of said rates and charges shall be determined is as follows: (1) Inside the City limits of the City of Jeffersonville: <i> Metered Rates: Average Quantity of Water Used Per Month First 1000 cubic feet 1001 to ll,000 cubic feet Over 11,000 Cubic feet (ii) Minimum Charge Monthly Rate Per 100 Cubic Feet User Debt Charze Service Total $ 1.41 $ .72 $ 2.13 1.41 .58 1.99 1.41 ~42 1.83 Rate Per Month User Debt CharKe. Service Total. Per month $ 2.40 $ 5.00 $ 7.40 (2) Outside the City limits of the City of Jeffersonville (i) Metered Rates: Average Quantity of Water Used Per Month First 1000 cubic feet 1001 to 11,000 cubic feet Over 11,000 cubic feet (ii) Minimum Charge Monthly Rate Per 100 Cubic Feet User Debt Charge Service Total $ 1.41 $ 1.78 $ 3.19 1.41 1.58 2.99 1.41 1.49 2.90 Rate Per Month User Debt Charge Service Total Per month $ 2.40 $ 8.69 $11.09 (b) Unmetered Water Users: For single family residential users of the sewage works that are unmetered water users or accurate meter readings are not available, the monthly charge shall be determined as an average of single family dwelling units, except as herein provided. Sewage service bills shall be rendered once each month (or period equaling a month). The rate shall be as follows: -4- (1) Inside the City limits of the City of jeffersonville: User Debt CharKe' Servic~ Total (2) Per month $10.30 $ 5.26 $15.56 Outside the City limits of the City of Jeffersonvilte: User Debt Charge, Servic~ Total Per month $10.30 $12.99 $23.29 (c) For the service rendered to the City of Jeffersonville, said City shall be subject to the same rates and charges hereinabove provided, or to charges and rates established in harmony therewith. (d) In order to recover the cost of monitoring industrial wastes the City shall charge the user the actual cost of monitoring but not less than $25 per sample. This charge will be reviewed and revised on the same basis as all other rates and charges in this ordinance. Section 4. The quantity of water discharged into the sanitary seyerage system and obtained from sources other than the utility that serves the City shall be determined by the City in such manner as the City shall reasonably elect, and the sewage service shall be billed at the above appropriate rates; except, as is hereinafter provided in this section. The City may make proper allowances in determining the sewage bill for quantities of water shown on the records to be consumed, but which are also shown to the satisfaction of the City that such quantities do not enter the sanitary sewerage system. (a) In the event a lot, parcel of real estate or building discharges sanitary sewage, industrial wastes, water or other liquids into the City's sanitary sewerage system, either directly or indirectly, is not a user of water supplied by the water utility serving the City and the water used thereon or therein is not measured by a water meter, or is measured by a water meter not acceptable to the City, then the amount of water used shall be otherwise measured or determined by the City. In order to ascertain the rate or charge provided in this ordinance, the owner or other interested party, at his expense, may install and maintain meters, weirs, volumetric measuring devices or any adequate and approved method of measurement acceptable to the City for determining of sewage discharge. (b) In the event a lot, parcel of real estate or building discharging sanitary sewage, industrial wastes, water or other liquids in the City's sanitary sewerage system, either directly or indirectly, is a user of water supplied by the water utility serving the City, and in addition, is a user of water from another source which is not measured by a water meter or is measured by a meter not acceptable to the City, then the amount of water used shall be otherwise measured or determined by the City. In order to ascertain the rates or charges, the owner or other interested parties, at his expense, may install and maintain meters, weirs, volumetric measuring devices or any adequate and approved method of measurement acceptable to the City for the determination of sewage discharge. -5- (c) In the event two (2) or more residential lots, parcels of real estate, or buildings discharging sanitary sewage, water or other liquids into the City's sanitary sewerage system, either directly or indirectly, are users of water and the quantity of water is measured by a single water meter, then in each such case, for billing purposes, a single bill shall be issued. (d) In the event a lot, parcel of real estaZe or building discharges sanitary sewage, industrial waste, water or other liquids into the City's sanitary sewerage system either directly or indirectly, and uses water in excess of five thousand (5,000) cubic feet per month, and it can be shown to the satisfaction of the Cigy that a portion of water as measured by the water meter or meters does not and cannot enter the sanitary sewage system, then the owner or other interested party shall, at his expense, install and maintain meters, weirs, volumetric measuring devices or any adequate and approved method of measurement acceptable to the City for the determination of sewage discharge. (e) Where a metered water supply is used for fire protection as well as other uses, the City may, in its discretion, make adjustments in the minimum charge and in the use charge as may be equizable. Section 5. In order that the rates and charges may reflect the costs of providing service rendered to users, ~he City shall base its charges not only on the volume, but also the ssrength and character of the stronger-than-normal domestic sewage and wastes which it is required to trea~ and dispose of. The City shall require the user to de~ermine the strength and content of all sewage and wastes discharged, either directly or indirectly into the sanitary sewage system, in such manner and by such method as the City may deem practicable in order to determine the proper charge. The user shall furnish a central sampling point available to the City at all times. (a) Normal domestic waste strength sewage should not exceed a biochemical oxygen demand of 300 milligrams per liter of fluid, suspended solids in excess of 300 milligrams per li~er of fluid or ammonia nitrogen in excess of 15 milligrams per liter of fluid. Additional charges for treating stronger-than-normal domestic waste shall be made on the following basis: (1) Rate SurcharKe Based Upon Suspended Solids There shall be an additional charge of 11 cents suspended solids for suspended solids milligrams per liter of fluid. per pound of received in excess of 300 (2) Rate Surcharge Based Upon BOD There shall be an additional charge of 11 cents per pound of biochemical oxygen demand for BOD received in excess of 300 milligrams per liter of fluid. (3) Rate Surcharge Based Upon NH3~ There shall be an additional charge of 84 cents per pound of ammonia for NH3N received in excess of 15 milligrams per liter of fluid. -6- collected (a) (b) To determine the strength of the sewage and wastes, samplings and analyses shall be made from time to time whenever it is deemed desirable by the City. After charges have been established based upon the strength of sewage and wastes, the owner may request reconsideration for these charges by the City by submitting analyses of composite samples of the sewage and wastes subject to such charges, certified by a registered engineer or a qualified graduate chemist. The City may then adjust the charges to the Ordinance rates required by such analyses or may recheck the findings by additional samplings and analyses. The determination of Suspended Solids, Five-day Biochemical Oxygen Demand and Ammonia Nitrogen contained in the waste shall be in accordance with the latest copy of "Standard Methods for the Examination of Water, Sewage and Industrial Wastes", as written by the American Public Health Association, the American Water Works Association and the Water Pollution Control Federation, and in conformance with "Guidelines Establishing Test Procedures for Analysis of Pollutants," Regulation CFR Part 136, published in the Federal Register on October 16, 1973. (c) When the normal testing of industrial wastes justifies more intensive monitoring by the City of Jeffersonville above and beyond the normal monitoring done by the City, the costs of the extraordinary monitoring shall be paid by the industry. This charge will be reviewed on the same basis as all other rages and charges in this Ordinance. Section 6. Such rages and charges shall be prepared, billed and by the City in the manner provided by law and ordinance. The rates and charges for all users shall be prepared and billed monthly and at the end of each year each user shall be given notice, in conjunction with a regular bill, of the rates charged for operation, maintenance, and replacement for that user for the next year. (b) The rates and charges may be billed to the tenant or tenants occupying the properties served, unless otherwise requested in writing by the owner, but such billing shall in no way relieve the owner from the liability in the event payment is not made as herein required. The owners of properties served, which are occupied by a tenant or tenants, shall have the right to examine the collection records of the City for the purpose of determining whether bills have been paid by such tenant or tenants, provided that such examination shall be made at the office at which said records are kept and during the hours that such office is open for business. (c) As is provided by statute, all rates and charges not paid when due are hereby declared to be delinquent and a penalty of ten percent (10%) of the amount of the rates or charges shall thereupon attach thereto. The time at which such rates or charges shall be paid is now fixed at seventeen (17) days after the date of mailing of the bill. -7- Section 7. In order that the rates and charges for sewage services may remain in proportion to the cost of providing services to the various users or user classes, the City shall cause a study to be made within a reasonable period of time following the first 2 years of operation, following the date on which this ordinance goes into effect. Such study shall include, but not be limited to, an analysis of the costs associated with the treatment of excessive strength effluents from industrial users, volume and delivery flow rate characteristics attributed to the various users or user classes, the financial position of the sewage works and the adequacy of its revenue to provide reasonable funds for the operation and maintenance, replacements, debt service requirements and capital improvements to the waste treatment systems. The City shall adjust its rates and charges to reflect the results of the study. Thereafter, on a biennial basis, within a reasonable period of time following the normal accounting period, the City shall cause a similar study to be made for the purpose of reviewing the proportionality of the rates and charges for sewage services on a continuing basis. Said studies shall be conducted by officers or employees of the City, or by a firm of certified public accountants, or a firm of consulting engineers which firms shall have experience in such studies, or by such combination of officers, employees, certified public accountants, or engineers as the City shall determine to be best under the circumstances. The City shall, upon completion of said study revise and adjust the rates and charges, as necessary in accordance therewith in order to maintain the proportionality and sufficiency of the rates. Section 8. The City shall make and enforce such by-laws and regulations as may be deemed necessary for the safe, economical and efficient management of the City's sewerage system, pumping stations and sewage conveyance system, for the construction and use of house sewers and connections to the sewerage system, and for the regulation, collection, rebating and refunding of such rates and charges. The City is hereby authorized to prohibit dumping of wastes into the City's sewage system which, in its discretion, are deemed harmful to the operation of the sewage treatment works of the City or to require methods affecting pretreatment of said wastes to comply with the pretreatment standards included in the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued to the City of Jeffersonville. Section 9. The invalidity of any section, clause, sentence, or provision of this ordinance shall not affect the validity of any other part of this ordinance which can be given effect without such invalid part or parts. Section 10. That the rules and regulations promulgated by the City, after approval of the Common council shall, among other things, provide for an appeal procedure whereby a user shall have the right to appeal a decision of the Administrator of the user charge to the Common Council and that any decision concerning user charges of the Cemmon Council may be appealed to a court of competent jurisdiction under the Appeal Procedures provided for in the Indiana Administrative Adjudication Act. Section ll. The City is hereby further authorized to enter into special rate contracts with customers of the sewage works where clearly definable cost to the sewage works can be determined, and such rate shall be limited to such costs. Said contract shall be in compliance with Public Law 92-500 and 95-217. -8- the sewage ' ''? Section 12. The City shall not grant free service or use of treatment system to any person, group or entity. It is not necessary for an area or parcel of real estate to be annexed to the City to receive sewage treatment. Section 13. The rates and charges as herein set forth shall become effective on the first full billing period occurring after the adoption of this ordinance. Passed and adopted by the Common Council of the City of jeffersonville, Clark County, Indiana, on the /~ day of ~ . ...., 1990. President, Common Attest '. Clerk-Treasurer Presented by me as this '/~-~.day of Clerk-Treasurer to the Mayor of said City of Jeffersonville 1990. Clerk-Treasurer This Ordinance approved and signed by me this /~ day of ~__,~T_- , 1990. -9-