A.
Effective January 1, 2001, each property shall be
charged rents, rates and fees or other charges for the direct or indirect
connections with the use of the City of Somers Point sewer system
as determined by the Sewer Utility of the City of Somers Point. The
rents, rates and fees or other charges shall include operational costs
and user charges inclusive.
B.
Each user of the local sewer system shall be assessed
a user charge in such an amount as necessary and appropriate to defray
the costs of constructing, operating and maintaining the local sewer
system and the annual charge imposed by the Atlantic County Utility
Authority. It shall be the intent that user charges result in the
distribution of costs to each user (or class of users) in proportion
to such user's relative use of the local and county sewer systems.
A.
Revenues derived from the collection of user charges
shall be deposited to and disbursement associated with the operation
and maintenance of the local sewer system shall be withdrawn from
an account or accounts dedicated exclusively to these purposes.
B.
Amalgamation of local sewer system accounts with those
for any other purpose, including public water supply, shall be contrary
to the intent of this chapter.
A.
Residential users. Residential users shall be considered
a user class, and as such all users will be considered as having like
wastewater quality and quantity.
B.
Commercial users. Commercial users shall be considered
a user class, and as such all users will be considered as having like
wastewater quality and quantity.
C.
Industrial users. Industrial users shall be considered
a user class. Charges for industrial users shall be based upon the
characteristics of each individual industrial user. Rates shall be
established by the quality-quantity-base-plus surcharge approach.
[Amended 12-8-2016 by Ord. No. 13-2016]
No statement contained herein shall be construed as prohibiting
the collection of additional fees for initial sewer system connection,
disconnection, reconnection following disconnection, escrow funds
for professional review and inspection, sewer expansions or extensions,
dedicated (reserved) transport or treatment capacity in excess of
current actual use, or pretreatment of industrial wastes.
[Amended 12-19-2013 by Ord. No. 26-2013]
All bills for service under the schedules are to be rendered
not later than February of each year, for the first half of the year,
and not later than July of each year, for the second half of the year.
A.
Residential charges herein prescribed shall be for each calendar
year billed on a semiannual basis.
B.
Commercial and industrial user charges herein prescribed shall be
for each calendar year billed on a semiannual basis. Billings for
the current year shall be based on the highest quarter of water usage
for a one-year period ending September 30 of the previous year. New
accounts shall receive an estimated billing, with an adjustment at
the first billing cycle after one full year's history, as described
above, is ascertained.
[Amended 3-25-2004 by Ord. No. 8-2004]
In the event of nonpayment of all or any portion
of the user charges herein prescribed and provided as and when due,
such unpaid amounts shall bear an interest penalty equal to the interest
rates set for delinquent taxes for the appropriate year. This penalty
will not be due until after 30 days from the date the amount became
due and will then be calculated from the original due date.
The local Utility shall, at least once annually,
review and, if necessary, revise the user charges to ensure that revenues
are sufficient to offset the total costs of operating and maintaining
the local sewer system and maintain the proportionate distribution
of costs among users or user classes.
The cost of all extraneous flow that the City
is unable to specifically designate to a particular user shall have
its costs distributed in equal proportions to all of the then-users
of the sewer system of the City of Somers Point. This form of cross-distribution
is implemented in accordance with the dictates and the guidelines
of federal standards.
