Chapter 13.15
SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM RATES AND CHARGES FOR USE AND SERVICE – WASHBURN
Sections:
13.15.020 Sanitary sewer rates.
13.15.010 Definitions.
Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, the meaning of terms used in this chapter shall be the same as those adopted in the Black Hawk County plumbing code, Chapter 15.15 BHCC (Ordinance No. 47), as the same may from time to time be amended, which definitions are hereby included in this chapter and made a part hereof by this reference. [Ord. 48 Art. 1, 2000. Code 2009 § 4-6-1.]
13.15.020 Sanitary sewer rates.
A. Service Charges. There shall be and there are hereby established sanitary sewer service charges for the use of and for the service supplied by the Washburn sanitary sewer service area, Black Hawk County (the “District”).
B. Rates and Service. All customers shall pay a service charge as hereinafter provided.
The monthly service charge fee shall be made up of two parts:
1. Part 1 being the capital fee. All property owners whose public sewer is within 100 feet of the property line shall have an option of making a payment determined by the Waterloo Water Works at the time of the payment, as a pro rata share of the capital fee for the indebtedness incurred by the County through its issuance of its 1999 general obligation capital loan notes for the construction of a sanitary sewer system. Those not choosing to make the prepayment shall pay said capital fee amount in monthly installments of $29.93 per building, per month, until June 1, 2019, or such time as the 1999 obligations are paid in full. This monthly capital fee amount of $29.93 was determined by dividing the debt service (principal and interest = $2,097,637.29) by the number of years of the bond issue (20 years) and further divided by 12 to get a monthly rate, which is then divided by the number of users who did not prepay their capital cost (292).
2. Part 2 shall be for operation and maintenance, presently estimated at $7.20 per sewer user per month.
C. New Sewer User Connections and Future Development. New sewer user connections not requiring additional pumps, piping, sewers or other facilities for collecting or transporting sewage shall be required to pay the Part 1 lump sum capital fee of $4,500 per building as a hook-on fee, plus the Part 2 operation and maintenance fee for each sewer user as provided in this section. New sewer user connections requiring additional pumps, piping, sewers or other facilities for collecting or transporting sewage shall be required to pay the Part 1 lump sum capital fee of $4,500 per building as a hook-on fee, plus all costs for installation of such additional facilities, plus the Part 2 operation and maintenance fee for each sewer user as provided in BHCC 13.15.020.
D. Billing for Sewer Service. It is hereby made the duty of the Waterloo Water Works Board of Trustees, as designated by the Board of Supervisors, to render bills for sewer usage and service and all other charges in connection therewith and to collect all monies due therefrom pursuant to the agreement entered into by and between the County and the Waterloo Water Works Board of Trustees. If any bills have not been paid by the eighteenth day after the date of issue, a delayed payment charge of five percent of the amount of the bill shall be added to each delinquent bill.
E. Service Discontinued. Sewer service to delinquent customers may be discontinued in accordance with the following:
1. Notice. Any bills not paid on or before the eighteenth day after the date of issuance shall be deemed delinquent and the Waterloo Water Works Board of Trustees shall serve on the customer a written notice of said delinquency, which shall serve as final notice of payment to be due within an additional 10 days. The notice shall be served by mail.
2. Service Discontinued. If the sewer bill has not been paid after the final notice, sewer service to the customer may be discontinued without further notice beyond subsection (E)(1) of this section.
3. Fees. A charge to the sewer user based on actual costs will be made for disconnection and reconnection of sewer service, but the reconnection will not be made until after all delinquent bills and other charges, if any, owed by the customer to the Waterloo Water Works Board of Trustees have been paid in cash at the business office of the Waterloo Water Works Board of Trustees unless the delinquency has been assessed as a tax in accordance with subsection F of this section.
F. Lien for Nonpayment. The owner of the premises served and any lessee or tenant thereof shall be jointly and severally liable for sanitary sewer service charges to the premises. Sanitary sewer service charges remaining unpaid and delinquent after 60 days shall constitute a lien upon the premises served and the Board of Supervisors shall instruct the County Auditor to certify such lien to the County Treasurer for collection in the same manner as property taxes. Notice of the lien shall be sent to the appropriate persons by certified mail not less than 10 days prior to certification of the lien to the County Treasurer.
G. Customer Deposits. There shall be required from every sewer user that is not the owner of the premises served a $100.00 deposit to cover the estimated cost of commencing and terminating service, and to guarantee the payment of the final bill.
H. Sanitary Sewer Revenue Fund. Except as provided in the agreement between the County and the Waterloo Water Works Board of Trustees, all revenues and monies derived from the operation of the sewer system shall be paid to and held by the County separate and apart from all other funds of the County and all of said sums and all other funds and monies incident to the operation of said system, as may be delivered to the County, shall be deposited in a separate fund designated the “rural sewer fund,” and the County shall administer said fund in the manner provided by the Code of Iowa and other laws pertaining thereto.
I. Accounts and Auditing. The County shall establish a proper system of accounts and shall keep proper records, books and accounts in which complete and correct entries shall be made of all transactions relative to the sewer system and at regular intervals the County shall cause to be made an audit by an independent audit concern or the state of Iowa of the books to show the receipts and disbursements of the sewer system. If necessary, service charges and rates will be adjusted to produce adequate income to retire the indebtedness, meet the operation, maintenance and replacement needs and establish required reserves. [Ord. 54 Art. 2, 2000; Ord. 48 Art. 2, 2000. Code 2009 § 4-6-2.]