[Amended 6-16-2014 by Ord. No. 14-06; 1-5-2015 by Ord. No. 14-18]
Base and usage charges shall be collected from the users of the public sanitary sewer system within or without the corporate limits of the City which proportions the cost of operation, maintenance and improvements to the sanitary sewer system to the users of the public sanitary sewer system as well as supports payments to debt service and maintains reserve and contingency funds based on their wastewater contribution, including replacement costs. These rates shall be reviewed at least annually.
A.
Base and usage charges.
(1)
The base sewer service charge shall consist of a fixed amount, not associated with any flow allowance, deemed to be an availability charge assessed to all single-family residences, apartment units, businesses, institutions, and any other class of users not mentioned. It shall be determined by the City Council to be sufficient to reimburse the City for costs associated with sewer debt service and the maintenance of reserve and contingency funds or any other charges deemed fixed by the City Council. This rate shall be set forth in Chapter 180, Municipal Fees. The charge shall apply to all users with a flow rate of up to 250 gallons per day or 91,250 gallons per year of the previous calendar year. Users with flow rates exceeding 250 gallons per day or 91,250 gallons per year shall be assessed an additional base charge for each 250 gallons per day or 91,250 gallons per year. If this data is unavailable for calculation, partial calendar year data, historical data or engineering estimates may be used to calculate the base charge until such time as calendar year data is available. All multiplier calculations shall be rounded to the nearest even number. If two or more residences, apartments, businesses, institutions, or any other class of users not mentioned are connected through a single meter, the base amount shall be computed as though each such user was a separate property or user with a separate connection. All units connected to the system shall be billed for no less than one base charge.
(2)
The City usage charge shall consist of an amount set by City Council sufficient to reimburse the City for costs associated with the cost of operating the wastewater utility which includes personnel costs, insurance, general and administrative costs and costs specific to the utility such as chemicals, line repair, etc. This rate shall be set forth in Chapter 180, Municipal Fees. This fee shall be calculated based on wastewater contribution by each user per 1,000 gallons quarterly. Where a group of users is not metered individually, but is metered collectively at one central metered pump station point, the usage at that metered pump station point shall be distributed evenly among all users of the group. Where there is no water meter for residential users, the City shall bill the usage fee based on the average water flow of metered residential users on the system.
(3)
The Kent County usage charge shall be set by Kent County to cover the treatment costs associated with wastewater contribution by each user per 1,000 gallons quarterly.
B.
Where there is no sewer meter available, waste water usage charges shall be based on water meter readings. Water meters shall be read by the City and bills submitted quarterly to each user for usage during the previous quarter (three months).
C.
There shall be assessed a late payment charge of 2% per month on all unpaid amounts due and owing the City commencing at least 30 days after the bill is issued by the City.
D.
Wastewater facility charges to out-of-City users shall be at a rate of 1.33 times the in-City user rate established by the City unless special services agreements are executed between the City of Harrington and the user.
E.
Bills for wastewater facility charges shall be mailed to the address of the property owner. Property owners may add a secondary address for bills to be sent to with written notification. Failure to receive a bill as a result of incorrect address or otherwise shall not excuse nonpayment of a bill or extend the time for payment.
F.
Bills for wastewater facility charges shall be payable not less than 30 days after the date of billing for the period.