[R.O. 1992 § 705.110; Ord. No. 8032 §§ 1—2, 11-4-1996; Ord. No. 07-10302 § 1, 9-17-2007]
A. 
All residential, commercial or industrial and governmental establishments shall be charged for sewer service in accordance with the rates established specifically in the following Section.
B. 
The user charge system shall result in the distribution of the cost of operation and maintenance of treatment works in proportion to such user's contribution to the total wastewater loading of the treatment works. Factors such as strength, volume, and delivery flow rate characteristics shall be considered and included as the basis for the user's contribution to ensure a proportional distribution of operation and maintenance costs to each user (or user class).
C. 
The Superintendent shall review user charges annually and revise them periodically to reflect actual treatment works operation and maintenance costs.
D. 
The user charge system shall generate adequate revenue to pay the costs of operations, maintenance and replacement.
E. 
Sewer service shall be considered available if a sewer, which ultimately discharges into the City sewerage system, is within one hundred (100) feet of any part of the property on which a residential, commercial, or industrial or governmental establishment exists. If sewer service is deemed unavailable by the Board of Public Works, the Board may grant variances such as an approved septic system.
F. 
Effective October 1, 2007, all residential, commercial and industrial users of the sewage system maintained by the City of Washington shall pay a fixed monthly service charge of seven dollars eighty-five cents ($7.85) per month to be billed monthly or quarterly. Effective October 1, 2008, all residential, commercial and industrial users of the sewage system maintained by the City of Washington shall pay a fixed monthly service charge of ten dollars forty-two cents ($10.42) per month to be billed monthly or quarterly. Effective October 1, 2009, all residential, commercial and industrial users of the sewage system maintained by the City of Washington shall pay a fixed monthly service charge of twelve dollars fifty cents ($12.50) per month to be billed monthly or quarterly. In addition to the fixed monthly charge set out above, volume charges based upon average winter water usage or monthly service charges for users of the City sewer system shall be billed monthly or quarterly and assessed as set out in the following Section.
G. 
The Board of Public Works shall have the right to accept or reject the dumping of any special or hauled wastewater into the sewer system of the City of Washington as provided in Section 705.760. Disposal of such special or hauled waste shall be charged based on the current fee schedule as established by the Board.
[R.O. 1992 § 705.120; Ord. No. 8032 §§ 1—2, 11-4-1996; Ord. No. 07-10302 § 2, 9-17-2007; Ord. No. 08-10480 § 1, 10-6-2008; Ord. No. 20-13201, 11-16-2020; Ord. No. 23-13857, 10-16-2023]
A. 
Residential customers shall be billed for sewer service based on actual or estimated average winter water usage based on water meter readings gathered between the months of November and March. This average winter water use shall be used to compute residential sewer billings each April for the next twelve-month period. New residential customers who have not established average winter water usage shall be billed on the basis of five thousand (5,000) gallons per month until actual average winter water usage has been established.
B. 
Commercial and industrial customers shall be billed based on actual or estimated usage based on monthly or quarterly water meter readings or sewer flow metered.
C. 
Effective October 1, 2023, for users of the sanitary sewer system within the City limits, the charge shall be seven dollars and 00/100 ($7 .00) per one thousand (1,000) gallons of average winter water furnished to the user. On each October 1 thereafter, the charge shall increase by a percentage equal to the increase in the cost of living for the St. Louis Metropolitan Area as reflected in the most recent Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
D. 
Effective October 1, 2008, for users of the sanitary sewer system within the City limits discharging sewer flows in excess of two hundred seventy-three (273) ppm BOD shall be subject to surcharge of fifteen cents ($0.15) per pound of BOD in excess of two hundred seventy-three (273) ppm BOD.
E. 
Effective October 1, 2008, for users of the sanitary sewer system within the City limits discharging sewer flows in excess of three hundred sixty-three (363) ppm suspended solids shall be subject to surcharge of eleven cents ($0.11) per pound of suspended solids in excess of three hundred sixty-three (363) per pound of suspended solids.
F. 
For users of the sanitary sewer system outside the corporate limits of the City of Washington, the charge shall be a rate equivalent to one and one-half (1 1/2) times the rate of average winter water or actual water furnished to the user.
G. 
For a residential establishment within the corporate City limits of the City of Washington using the City sewer system and not using the City water system, a sewer service charge of eighteen dollars sixty-five cents ($18.65) per month shall be assessed.
H. 
For residential establishment outside the corporate limits of the City of Washington using the City sewer system and not using the City water system, a sewer service charge of thirty-five dollars ($35.00) per month shall be assessed.
I. 
For a commercial or industrial establishment within the corporate City limits of the City of Washington using the City sewer system and not using the City water system, a sewer service charge of one hundred eighty-one dollars fifty cents ($181.50) per month shall be assessed. Such rates shall be charged until the establishment is connected to the City water system, from which point the user shall be billed at the then current rate per thousand (1,000) gallons of actual water furnished to the user plus the then current fixed monthly service charge.
J. 
When a commercial or industrial establishment located outside the corporate City limits of the City of Washington is using the City sewer system and is not using the City water system, the sewer service charge shall be four hundred fifty dollars ($450.00) per month and shall be billed quarterly. Such rate shall be charged until the establishment is connected to the City water system, from which point the user shall be billed at a rate equivalent to one and one-half (1 1/2) times the rate charged commercial or industrial establishments located within the corporate City limits.
[R.O. 1992 § 705.130; Ord. No. 8032 §§ 1—2, 11-4-1996]
A. 
The metered water consumption records of the City, as shown by its water bills, shall be used to determine the amount of water consumption of all residential, commercial or industrial and governmental establishments supplied with water by the City for the purpose of computing sewer service charges under the provision of Section 705.120.
B. 
All residential, commercial or industrial and governmental establishments supplied with water from sources other than the City shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the City of the monthly quantity of water consumption by such establishments from such other sources, and in such cases the monthly or quarterly sewer service charges shall be based upon such evidence; otherwise such establishments shall be billed according to Section 705.120(C) and (D).
[R.O. 1992 § 705.140; Ord. No. 8032 §§ 1—2, 11-4-1996]
The quantities of water used from sources other than the water system of the City shall be determined by the office of the Superintendent.
[R.O. 1992 § 705.150; Ord. No. 8032 §§ 1—2, 11-4-1996]
A. 
Accounts which use water over and above that discharged into sanitary sewers may apply for adjustments under provisions of this Article.
B. 
Among those water usages which result in the quantity of water reaching the sewers being less than that passing the water meters are the following:
1. 
Evaporation, from cooling towers and similar installations.
2. 
Water in product, such as in bottling plants.
3. 
Cooling water discharged to open channel. This would be permitted only when the water is unpolluted.
4. 
Process water discharged to open channels; permitted only when water is unpolluted.
5. 
In-ground lawn sprinkling, nurseries, truck farms and the like.
6. 
Swimming pools in excess of twenty thousand (20,000) gallons [one thousand eight hundred ten (1,810) cubic feet]; only when water is drained to open channels and is unpolluted.
[R.O. 1992 § 705.160; Ord. No. 8032 §§ 1—2, 11-4-1996]
When any residential, commercial, or industrial or governmental establishment using in excess of seventeen thousand (17,000) gallons of water per month furnished the City with evidence satisfactory to the City that such establishment actually discharged into the public sewers preceding calendar year less than ninety percent (90%) of the water used by such establishment, the City may adjust the sewer service charges of such establishment for the next subsequent calendar year by computing the same either on the basis of water discharged into the public sewers or by flat rate rather than on the amount of water consumption of such establishment.
[R.O. 1992 § 705.170; Ord. No. 8032 §§ 1—2, 11-4-1996]
A. 
Any request for an adjustment in sewer charges shall be made in the office of the Superintendent. The person requesting the adjustment shall furnish satisfactory evidence in writing that the adjustment is justified. If the Superintendent concurs that the adjustment is justified, it shall also notify the applicant. Should the Superintendent not find the adjustment justified, it shall notify the applicant with an explanation of the reasons.
B. 
If an unusually high water meter reading results from a leak or from the necessity of having to estimate prior meter readings, an adjustment in sewer service charges may be granted.
[R.O. 1992 § 705.180; Ord. No. 8032 §§ 1—2, 11-4-1996]
All sewer service charges shall be paid to the City or its authorized agent, at the locations designated by the City.
[R.O. 1992 § 705.190; Ord. No. 8032 §§ 1—2, 11-4-1996; Ord. No. 10-10672 § 6, 2-16-2010; Ord. No. 15-11373 § 2, 3-2-2015]
A. 
Sewer service shall be deemed to be furnished to both the occupant and owner of the premises receiving such service, and, except as otherwise provided in Subsection (B) of this Section, the City of Washington shall have power to sue the occupant or owner, or both, of such real estate in a civil action to recover any sums due for such service less any deposit that is held by the City for such service, plus a reasonable attorney's fee to be fixed by the court.
B. 
When the occupant is delinquent in payment for thirty (30) days, the City shall make a good faith effort to notify the owner of the premises receiving such service of the delinquency and the amount thereof. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section to the contrary, when an occupant is delinquent more than ninety (90) days, the owner shall not be liable for sums due for more than ninety (90) days of service. Any notice of termination of service shall be sent to both the occupant and owner of the premises receiving such service.
C. 
In instances where several residences share a common sewer line, the owner of the real property upon which the residences sit shall be liable for sewer expenses.
D. 
The provisions of this Section shall not apply to unapplied-for utility services. As used in this Subsection, "unapplied-for utility services" means services requiring application by the property owner and acceptance of such application by the utility prior to the establishment of an account. The property owner is billed directly for the services provided, and, as a result, any delinquent payment of a bill becomes the responsibility of the property owner rather than the occupant.
[R.O. 1992 § 705.200; Ord. No. 8032 §§ 1—2, 11-4-1996; Ord. No. 00-8866 § 6, 8-7-2000; Ord. No. 10-10672 § 7, 2-16-2010]
A bill is considered delinquent after twenty (20) days from the date of billing. A delinquent bill shall be subject to a penalty of ten percent (10%) applied to the delinquent balance in addition to interest at the rate of one and one-half percent (1.5%) per month on the delinquent balance. If a bill for a wastewater charge is delinquent through no fault of the wastewater user, the additional one and one-half percent (1.5%) per month charge may be waived upon submittal of satisfactory evidence. For any bill not paid within fifteen (15) days after the bill becomes delinquent, the customer's service shall be disconnected until bill is paid.
[R.O. 1992 § 705.210; Ord. No. 8032 §§ 1—2, 11-4-1996; Ord. No. 00-8867 § 2, 8-7-2000; Ord. No. 10-10672 § 8, 2-16-2010; Ord. No. 15-11349 § 4, 1-5-2015]
Whenever any residential consumer becomes delinquent in the payment of his/her wastewater bill, in addition to such other rights that the Board of Public Works has according to its rules and regulations, the residential consumer shall pay a cash deposit of a sum equal to fifty dollars ($50.00). Whenever any new application is made for residential service, the Board of Public Works shall, before furnishing service to such residential consumer or applicant, require payment of any unpaid Wastewater Department bills and a cash deposit of a sum equal to fifty dollars ($50.00). On written request of the residential consumer, deposits shall be credited to the residential consumer's account following twenty-four (24) consecutive months of timely payments. In the event twenty-four (24) months of timely payments are not made, the deposit will be held and applied to the residential consumer's final bill, and the balance, if any, shall be refunded to the residential consumer. Any residential consumer with five (5) years of timely payment history who moves to a new location will not be required to pay a cash deposit to set up service at the new location. All such deposits shall be maintained in a separate account by the Board of Public Works to be known as the "Customer Deposit Fund," and payments therefrom are to be made by order of the Board of Public Works. No interest shall be paid upon deposits.
[R.O. 1992 § 705.215; Ord. No. 10-10672 § 9, 2-16-2010; Ord. No. 10-10696 § 1, 4-19-2010]
Whenever any commercial consumer becomes delinquent in the payment of his/her wastewater bill, in addition to such other rights that the Board of Public Works has according to its rules and regulations, the commercial consumer shall pay a cash deposit of a sum equal to one hundred dollars ($100.00). Whenever any new application is made for commercial service by a commercial tenant, commercial renter or commercial lessee, the Board of Public Works shall, before furnishing service to such commercial consumer or applicant, require payment of any unpaid Wastewater Department bills and a cash deposit of a sum equal to one hundred dollars ($100.00). The deposit shall be to guarantee to the City the prompt payment of all Wastewater Department bills and if the deposit is reduced thereafter by reason of such guarantee, such commercial consumer shall pay an additional amount sufficient to replace such reduction. On request of the commercial consumer deposits shall be credited to the commercial consumer's account following twenty-four (24) consecutive months of timely payments. In the event twenty-four (24) months of timely payments are not made, the deposit will be held and applied to the commercial consumer's final bill and the balance, if any, shall be refunded to the commercial consumer. All such deposits shall be maintained in a separate account by the Board of Public Works to be known as the "Security Fund" and payments therefrom are to be made by order of the Board of Public Works. No interest shall be paid upon deposits.
[R.O. 1992 § 705.220; Ord. No. 8032 §§ 1—2, 11-4-1996]
Should residents of the City move from one (1) residence to another within the City, only one (1) month's service charge shall be due and payable from the family making the move during the month in which the move is made.
[R.O. 1992 § 705.230; Ord. No. 8032 §§ 1—2, 11-4-1996]
In the event a business or residential establishment becomes vacant and water meters are disconnected, no service charge shall be levied. However, should the establishment be vacant and water service maintained, the owner of such establishment shall be billed for sewer service.
[R.O. 1992 § 705.240; Ord. No. 8032 §§ 1—2, 11-4-1996]
In those cases where the seasonal discharge of unpolluted water is necessary for air conditioning, or other similar uses, and when storm sewers or open channels are not available, the establishment discharging such clear unpolluted water may continue to discharge such water into the sanitary sewer system for a limited period of time. In such cases, it should be understood that the establishment will make every effort to discontinue at the earliest possible date.
[R.O. 1992 § 705.250; Ord. No. 8032 §§ 1—2, 11-4-1996]
A. 
It is the purpose of this Chapter to provide for the recovery of costs from users of the City's wastewater disposal system for the implementation of the program established herein. The applicable charges or fees shall be set forth in the City's Schedule of Charges and Fees.[1] The City may adopt charges and fees which may include:
1. 
Fees for reimbursement of costs of setting up and operating the City's pretreatment program;
2. 
Fees for monitoring, inspections and surveillance procedures;
3. 
Fees for reviewing accidental discharge procedures and construction;
4. 
Fees for permit applications;
5. 
Fees for filing appeals;
6. 
Fees for consistent removal (by the City) of pollutants otherwise subject to Federal pretreatment standards;
7. 
Other fees as the City may deem necessary to carry out the requirements contained herein.
[1]
Editor's Note: Said schedule is on file in the City offices.
B. 
These fees relate solely to the matters covered by this Chapter and are separate from all other fees chargeable by the City.
[R.O. 1992 § 705.260; Ord. No. 8032 §§ 1—2, 11-4-1996]
A. 
It shall be mandatory duty of the City and its public officials to:
1. 
Segregate the revenues derived from the operation of the City sanitary sewer system from all other revenues or funds of the City; to hold such funds separate and distinct from all other funds thereof, and if such funds be deposited in any bank, to maintain such deposits as a non-lapsing funds account separate and distinct from all other bank accounts thereof. Funds may be transferred from other revenue sources to meet temporary shortages in the operation, maintenance and replacement. The funds will have a minimum of two (2) primary accounts:
a. 
Any Operation and Maintenance Account with provision for carryover of the fiscal year-end balance to meet the overall operation and maintenance costs in the subsequent fiscal year.
b. 
A Replacement Account which accrues funds through deposits made at least annually from user charge revenues. The deposits shall provide adequate revenue to meet the replacement needs of the treatment works over its service life and shall be used for no other purpose. Fiscal year-end balances in the Replacement Account will be carried over to the same account in subsequent fiscal years.
2. 
See that all revenues of the City sanitary sewer system shall be devoted first to the payment of the expenses of operating and maintaining the sewerage system of the City and second to the payment of bonds or other obligations payable from such revenues which may hereafter be issued.