[Adopted  9-30-1991 by Ord. No. 315]
It is determined and declared to be necessary and conducive to the protection of the public health, safety, welfare and convenience of the people of Patterson Township to collect charges from all users who contribute wastewater to the Patterson Township Comprehensive Sewer Collection System. The proceeds of such charges so derived will be used for the purpose of operating and maintaining the comprehensive sewer collection system, making the required lease payments to the Authority and paying the costs of the corrective action plan for the existing sewer system.
The following terms have the meanings set forth opposite the term when used in this ordinance:
AGREEMENT OF LEASE OR LEASEBACK AGREEMENT
The agreement of lease as prepared by the Township's bond counsel, Eckert, Seaman, Cherin & Mellott, and entered into April 15, 1991.
EXISTING SEWER CUSTOMER
All Township residents served by the existing sewer system as defined herein.
EXISTING SEWER SYSTEM
All sanitary sewer lines in the Township, together with all appurtenances and facilities, serving residents of the Township prior to the construction of the sewer system additions.
NEW CUSTOMERS
All Township residents served by the sewer system addition as defined herein.
PATTERSON TOWNSHIP COMPREHENSIVE SEWAGE COLLECTION SYSTEM
The existing sewer system and the sewer system additions as defined hereinabove, including all of the sewer lines serving the existing customers and all of the sewer lines to be constructed under EPA Project No. C-421451 and known as the "sewage system extensions project."
SEWER SYSTEM ADDITIONS
All the sanitary sewer lines, together with appurtenances and facilities, constructed by the Municipal Authority according to the plans of Baker, TSA, dated 1988, sometimes described as the "sewerage system extension."
A. 
The revenues collected as a result of the user charges levied shall be deposited in a separate nonlapsing fund known as the "Sewer Revenue Fund."
B. 
Fiscal year-end balances in the Sewer Revenue Fund shall be used for no other purposes than those designated. Moneys which have been transferred from other sources to meet temporary shortages in the Operation, Maintenance and Replacement Fund shall be returned to their respective accounts upon appropriate adjustment of the user charge rates for operation, maintenance and replacement. The user charge rate(s) shall be adjusted such that the transferred moneys will be returned to their respective accounts within six months of the fiscal year in which the moneys were borrowed.
A. 
In order to pay the operation and maintenance costs of the Patterson Township comprehensive sewage collection system, and to pay the lease payments due to the Municipal Authority of the Township of Patterson, Beaver County, and to pay the cost of the corrective action plan, there is hereby imposed upon all users of the Patterson Township comprehensive sewage collection system the following annual user charge rate, payable monthly:
[Amended  2-24-1992 by Ord. No. 319; 12-21-1992 by Ord. No. 327;  12-28-1994 by Ord. No. 339;  2-11-1999 by Ord. No. 367;  2-12-2004 by Ord. No. 402; 12-29-2005 by Ord. No. 413; 1-10-2013 by Ord. No. 437; 12-30-2015 by Ord. No. 457[1]]
(1) 
All residential and commercial customers on the Patterson Township sanitary sewer system will pay the following rate: $20.46 for the first 2,000 gallons per quarterly consumption plus $12.28 per 1,000 gallons of water consumed in excess of 2,000 gallons per quarterly consumption. The quarterly amount will be divided into three equal monthly bills. The minimum charge per month will be $20.46.
[Amended 4-12-2018 by Ord. No. 466[2]]
[2]
Editor's Note: This ordinance provided an effective date of 5-1-2018.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance provided for an effective date of 2-1-2016.
B. 
For residential, industrial, institutional and commercial users, monthly user charges will be based on actual water usage. If a residential, commercial, institutional or industrial user has a consumptive user of water or, in some other manner, uses water which is not discharged into the wastewater collection system, the user charge for that contributor may be based on readings of a wastewater meter(s) or separate water meter(s) installed and maintained at the user's expense.
C. 
For those users whose wastewater has a greater strength than normal domestic sewage, a surcharge in addition to the normal user charge will be collected.
D. 
Any user which discharges any toxic pollutants (as defined in the Sewer Use Ordinance[3]) which cause an increase in the cost of managing the effluent of the sludge from Patterson Township's treatment works, or any user which discharges any substances which, singly or by interaction with other substances, causes identifiable increases in the cost of operation, maintenance or replacement of the treatment works, shall pay for such increased costs. The charge to each such user shall be as determined by the appropriate financial personnel and approved by the Township.
[3]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 158, Part 2, Sewer Use.
E. 
The user charge rates established in this Article apply to all users of the Patterson Township sewer collection system.
The following procedures are hereby authorized for the collection of the sewer rates imposed herein:
A. 
Interest. Any sewer bill not paid within 30 days from the due date shall bear interest at the rate of 6% per annum until paid.
B. 
Penalties. Any sewer bill not paid by the due date shall bear a penalty of 5% of the amount due.
C. 
Liens. Any sewer bill unpaid for a period of six months from the due date shall be subject to the filing of a municipal claim in favor of the Township with the Prothonotary of Beaver County. In the event of the filing of such a lien, the user shall be required to pay the cost of the same, including the cost of satisfaction.
D. 
Water shutoff. Any sewer bill unpaid within a period of 60 days after the due date shall be subject to the commencement of the water shutoff procedure pursuant to the agreement between the Township and the Beaver Falls Municipal Authority and in accordance with rules established by the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission.
E. 
Posting of properties. Any sewer bill not paid within 60 days from the due date, requiring posting of the property with a water shutoff notice, shall be assessed a fee as set by resolution to offset the cost of physically posting the property.
[Added 12-14-2017 by Ord. No. 464]
The sewer rates described in § 158-4 shall become effective as follows:
A. 
New customers: upon connection to the sewer system, or 60 days after receiving a notice to connect, whichever occurs earlier.
B. 
Existing customers: January 1, 1992.
All users contributing more than 10,000 gallons per month and whose waste strength is greater than milligrams BOD/1 or milligrams SS/1 shall prepare and file with the Township a report that shall include pertinent data relating to the wastewater characteristics, including the methods of sampling and measurement to obtain these data, and these data shall be used to calculate the user charge for that user. The Township shall have the right to gain access to the waste stream and take its own samples. Should the Township do so and should the results be substantially different as determined by the Township from the data submitted by the user, the user charge for that user shall be revised for the next billing cycle/period.
A. 
The Township will review the user charges at least annually and revise the rates as necessary to ensure that adequate revenues are generated to pay the costs of operation and maintenance, including replacement, and that the system continues to provide for the proportional distribution of operation and maintenance, including replacement, costs among users and user classes.
B. 
The Township will notify each user at least annually of the rate being charged for operation and maintenance, including replacement, of the treatment works.