[1971 Charter Laws, § 264; L.L. No. 1-1966, § 1]
There is hereby established a scale of rents pursuant to General
Municipal Law art. 14-F [§ 450 et seq.], such rents to be
called "sewer rents."
[1971 Charter Laws, § 265; L.L. No. 1-1966, § 2]
Sewer rents are hereby levied and assessed against every lot,
parcel of land, building, or premises now or hereafter having any
connection with the sewer system of the city or otherwise discharging
domestic sewage, commercial, institutional, and industrial waste,
water, or other liquids either directly or indirectly into the sanitary
sewer system of such city. Sewer rents shall be based on the metered
consumption of water to the premises connected with and served by
the sewer system or any part or parts thereof. The revenue from sewer
rents shall be used for the payment of costs of operation, maintenance,
and repairs of the sewer system or such part or parts thereof for
which sewer rents have been established and imposed; the interest
on and amortization of, or payment of, indebtedness which has been
or shall be incurred for the construction of the sewer system; or
such part or parts thereof for which sewer rents have been established
and imposed, other than indebtedness, and the interest thereon, which
is to be paid in the first instance from assessments upon benefited
real property; for the construction of sewage treatment and disposal
works with necessary appurtenances including pumping stations; or
for the extension, enlargement, or replacement of, or additions to,
such sewer systems, or part or parts thereof.
[1971 Charter Laws, § 266; L.L. No. 1-1966, § 3]
In addition to any and all fees and charges provided by law,
the owner of any parcel of real property within the city limits connected
with the sewer system of the city shall pay a sewer rent for the use
of such sewer system based upon the metered consumption of water to
the premises in an amount to be fixed and determined from time to
time by the common council of the city by ordinance. For the purpose
of determining the charge to be rendered, premises using the sewerage
system whereon the water used is derived in whole or in part from
sources independent of the city, the water used thereon supplied from
private sources, shall be measured by a city water meter or by a meter
acceptable to the water department, to be installed and maintained
by the owner or occupant thereof, at his own cost and subject to supervision
and inspection by the water department. The sewer rental charged against
such property shall be determined by the metered consumption of water
used on the premises regardless of the source from which supplied.
Such charge shall be at the rate established by ordinance and shall
be the same rate that the classification of the premises warrants.
Whenever the owner or occupant fails to install such meter and in
cases where the water department finds it impractical to insist upon
a special meter, the water department may accept the report of the
property owner as to the amount of water used on the premises, or
the water department may fix and determine the amount ordinarily consumed
upon the premises by such method as it may find practicable in the
light of the conditions and attendant circumstances of the case in
order to determine the sewer rental charge, all in accordance with
corresponding rates assessed against other similar property.
[1971 Charter Laws, § 267; L.L. No. 1-1966, § 4]
In the case of premises whereon the water used is supplied by
the city through its department of public works, the sewer rental
charge provided in this division shall be added to the water bills
rendered to the owners, lessees, or occupants of such property and
shall be paid at the time the water bill is payable at the office
of the city clerk. The bill shall be collected with and addition to
the water charge for water service, and no part of the charge for
water service shall be accepted without including therewith the sewer
rental charge. Such sewer rental charge shall be subject to the same
penalty provided for delinquent water bills, and it is hereby made
the duty of the city clerk to collect such penalty for failure to
pay the sewer rental charge when due. In cases of premises whereon
water used is not supplied by the city, the department of public works
will render quarterly to the owners, lessees, or occupants of such
property, bills for the amount of the sewer rental charged as set
forth in this division. If such charge is not paid when due, it shall
be subject to the same penalty as is provided for delinquent water
bills, and the city clerk is hereby required to collect such penalty.
If the said bills for sewer rentals rendered for premises whereon
water is not supplied by the city is not paid within 30 days after
the rendering thereof, the department of public works shall certify
the same, together with such penalty and such bills shall be collected,
and the collection thereof enforced in the same manner in all respects
as city taxes. They shall be added to the taxes subject to like penalty,
costs, and interest charges. If the sewer rental bill remains unpaid
for a period exceeding 30 days after the rendering thereof, city water
service shall be terminated to the premises and service shall not
be restored to the premises until all sewer taxes together with interest
and penalty thereon together with additional removal and installation
costs are fully paid.
[1971 Charter Laws, § 268; L.L. No. 1-1966, § 5]
All sewer rents for premises using city water shall be payable,
collectible, and enforceable in the manner provided by law for the
payment, collection, and enforcement of water charges and, if unpaid,
shall be collected in the same manner provided for the collection
of city taxes. When remaining unpaid, such rents shall be added to
the annual city tax on the property to and for which sewer service
was furnished and rendered.
[1971 Charter Laws, § 269; L.L. No. 1-1966, § 6]
The department of public works shall have power to make and
enforce such general rules and regulations, both as to public and
private water supply, for the collection, rebating, refunding, or
adjustment of such charges for any reason, including diversion of
water from the sewer system, as may be reasonably necessary to avoid
injustice, to the end that all property discharging sewage in the
sewer system will bear its equitable proportionate share with other
property of the cost of operation, maintenance, and repairs of the
sewerage system or any extension, enlargement, replacement, or additions
to such sewer system, or any part or parts thereof.
[1971 Charter Laws, § 270; L.L. No. 1-1966, § 7]
Any real property which is entitled to an exemption from payment
of water rents or charges shall also be exempt from payment of the
sewer rents or charges imposed under this division.
[1971 Charter Laws, § 271; L.L. No. 1-1966, § 8]
The common council shall by ordinance establish a schedule of
annual charges under this law which charges shall be based on the
consumption of water on the premises connected with and served by
the sewer system. The ordinance shall provide for the periodic payment
of the annual charge and shall define the interest and penalty to
be assessed for delinquent payments. The common council shall also
have the power to establish a minimum and a maximum charge for sewer
rent upon all real property within the city limits and to classify
all real property into classifications based upon the uses to which
the property is being put at the time.
[1971 Charter Laws, § 273; L.L. No. 1-1966, § 10]
All revenues derived from the sewer rents imposed under this
division, together with all penalties and interest thereon, shall
be kept by the city clerk in a separate account to be known as the
sewer fund.
