Chapter 14.24
SEWER RATES
Sections:
14.24.010 Sewer operating fund.
14.24.020 Schedule of rates for service.
14.24.025 Discharge of stormwater or groundwater to sanitary sewer prohibited.
14.24.050 Payment date – Interest – Penalty for delinquency.
14.24.055 Nonsufficient check charge.
14.24.060 Charges to be lien on property – Foreclosure conditions.
14.24.070 Discontinuance of service for nonpayment of charges – Conditions.
14.24.080 Deposit and disbursement of funds.
14.24.010 Sewer operating fund.
There is established and created a fund to be designated as the “sewer operating fund,” into which fund shall be credited all sums collected under this chapter and from which all expenses of the administration and operation of this chapter shall be paid. (Ord. 1776 § 3, 2010)
14.24.020 Schedule of rates for service.
Sanitary sewer collections and disposal service charges shall be as follows:
A. Residential Rate. Connected to sewer system, regardless of water usage. Residential rates shall apply only to single-family dwellings. Commercial and industrial rates shall apply to all other users.
Monthly – Effective on the January 2023 billing:
1. Flat rate fee, $104.20.
B. Commercial and Industrial Rates. Connected to sewer system based on water usage.
1. Monthly – Effective on the January 2023 billing:
a. Minimum usage, first 5,000 gallons, $104.20.
b. Rate per each additional 1,000 gallons, $18.90.
2. Industries in which 15 percent or more of the total water volume is consumed in the industrial process and thus not discharged to the sanitary sewer may apply to the director of public works for an adjusted sewer discharge volume. The adjusted volume will be based on the volume of water discharged into the sewer. Documentation of flow volumes must be provided by the industry.
3. Industries with sanitary sewage effluent concentrations exceeding 300 mg/L BOD and/or 300 mg/L suspended solids must apply to the Washington State Department of Ecology for an industrial discharge permit. Based on the industry’s impact on the city’s sewage facilities, the Department of Ecology may issue a permit establishing conditions, and the city council shall establish charges, for the volume of discharge exceeding the 300 mg/L limit for BOD and/or suspended solids.
4. Industries discharging to permitted industrial wastewater pretreatment systems before discharging wastewater to the city sewer system will be charged based on the following formula, effective on the January 2019 billing:
|
Charge |
= |
Q |
x |
$4.890 + [1.609 (BOD - 30) (8.34) + 1.666 (TSS) (8.34)] |
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|
|
|
1,000 |
1,000 |
||
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Where |
Q |
= |
Flow (Gallons) |
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|
|
BOD |
= |
Biological oxygen demand (mg/L) |
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|
|
TSS |
= |
Total suspended solids (mg/L) |
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|
|
8.34 |
= |
Conversion factor (lbs per gal) |
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|
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4.890 |
= |
Industrial rate adjustment |
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|
|
1.609 |
= |
Rate for BOD |
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|
|
1.666 |
= |
Rate for TSS |
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C. Leachate. Leachate from solid waste facilities may be accepted. Conditions of acceptance will be established in state and city discharge permits.
D. Septic Discharge. Septage from domestic septic tanks will not be discharged into the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
E. City of Raymond Sewer Accounts. A 10 percent reduction of total charges shall be applied to all sewer accounts that are in the name of and billed to any department of the city of Raymond.
F. Eligible low-income customers living in single-family residences shall receive a discount based on their total household income. The city shall establish the eligibility requirements that must be met in order to receive any discounts. (Ord. 1927, 2023; Ord. 1915 § 6, 2022; Ord. 1908 § 5, 2021; Ord. 1896 § 5, 2020; Ord. 1886 § 15, 2019; Ord. 1882 § 8, 2018)
14.24.025 Discharge of stormwater or groundwater to sanitary sewer prohibited.
A. Stormwater Connections. Stormwater connections to the sanitary sewer are prohibited. The city engineer shall notify, in writing, any residential, commercial, or industrial users with roof or area drains connected to the sanitary sewer that such connections are not permitted and must be removed within 60 days of the notification. Users failing to remove such connections within the allotted time frame will be charged $20.00 per month until the stormwater connection is removed from the sanitary sewer. Users found to have reconnected storm drains shall be in violation of this chapter and subject to the penalties contained herein.
B. Side Sewers. A side sewer is the sewer connecting an individual residence or structure to the city sewer. The maintenance of the side sewer is the responsibility of the property owner. Side sewers shall be watertight from under the structure to the city sewer to prevent the entrance of groundwater into the sanitary sewer system.
C. Side Sewer Replacement.
1. All users of the sanitary sewer system will be required to replace old side sewers constructed of concrete, terra cotta or other material with watertight plastic or ductile iron pipe.
2. The city superintendent will notify all property owners with side sewers that city records indicate have not been previously constructed with new watertight material that the side sewer must be replaced.
3. The property owner may request that the city test a side sewer for watertightness or verify the side sewer material. If the side sewer is found to not be watertight, a $50.00 testing fee will be charged.
D. Replacement Schedule.
1. The city superintendent will notify property owners of the side sewer replacement requirement. The side sewer must be replaced within the time limit stated in the notification. In no case will the property owner be given less than 60 days to replace the sewer.
2. Low-income residents may request a time extension for replacement. The time extension will be limited to two years.
E. Charge for Defective Side Sewers. If a property owner fails to replace a side sewer within the time allotted in the notification, a charge of $20.00 per month will be added to the sewer utility billing until such time that the side sewer replacement has been properly completed.
F. Hardship Cases. In situations in which the property owner feels that the side sewer replacement would cause an unreasonable hardship due to permanent structures over the sewer or income limitations, the city council may grant a time extension for replacement or establish a fee based on the estimated groundwater entering the city’s sanitary sewer system. (Ord. 1886 § 16, 2019; Ord. 1526 § 2, 1992)
14.24.030 Computation of rates.
Repealed by Ord. 1869. (1958 code § 9.08.030)
14.24.040 Collection of charges.
Repealed by Ord. 1776. (1958 code § 9.08.060)
14.24.050 Payment date – Interest – Penalty for delinquency.
All bills shall be due and payable from the date of billing and shall become delinquent 20 days from the date of billing. A delinquency charge of $6.00 to cover costs of collection shall be added to all accounts that have been delinquent in an amount equal to or greater than $10.00.
Only one $6.00 delinquency charge shall be assessed in any billing period for water, sewer, and sanitation bills. The charge shall be divided equally between the water, sewer, and sanitation funds when paid. Services may be suspended for nonpayment of such charges. (Ord. 1886 § 17, 2019)
14.24.055 Nonsufficient check charge.
Any payment made for charges and fees established by any portion of Chapters 14.20 and 14.24 RMC that is returned for lack of sufficient funds or for any other reason will not be considered received until payment by certified check, money order or cash of the original amount due, plus a nonsufficient funds (NSF) charge of $25.00, is received by the city. Services may be suspended for nonpayment of such charges. (Ord 1715 § 7, 2006)
14.24.060 Charges to be lien on property – Foreclosure conditions.
All charges provided for in this chapter, together with penalties and interest thereon, shall be a lien upon the property to which said charges are made superior to all other liens and encumbrances whatsoever, except for general taxes and local special assessments. The city clerk/treasurer is authorized and directed, prior to the expiration of six months from the first day of the first month for which such charges were unpaid, to certify to the auditor of Pacific County all of such charges as a lien upon such property, in the manner provided for in Chapter 35.67 RCW, and such property shall be subject to foreclosure pursuant to the terms of said chapter; no change of ownership or occupation shall affect the application of this section. (1958 code § 9.08.050)
14.24.070 Discontinuance of service for nonpayment of charges – Conditions.
As an additional and concurrent method of requiring that the rates and charges herein stated shall be promptly paid, the water superintendent of the city is authorized and directed, upon being notified in writing by the city clerk/treasurer that any water users are delinquent in the foregoing sewer service charges, to discontinue use of water service to the premises of such water consumers until such time as the delinquent charges are paid, and to discontinue said water service until such charges are paid. (1958 code § 9.08.070)
14.24.080 Deposit and disbursement of funds.
All of the moneys collected under this chapter shall be deposited into the Raymond water and sewer revenue fund, and such funds so deposited in the Raymond water and sewer revenue fund shall be disbursed as provided by law and only as stated in Section 9 of Ordinance No. 993 of the city. (1958 code § 9.08.080)
14.24.090 Utility charge reductions for low-income elderly.
Repealed by Ord. 1927. (Ord. 1824 §§ 3, 4, 2014; Ord. 1719 § 2, 2007)