[Ord. 249, 6/22/1961, § 1; as amended by Ord. 423,
9/9/1987, § 18-201]
The Borough of Liberty hereby adopts rates and charges for sewer service as contained in §
18-205.
[Ord. 249, 6/22/1961, § 2]
Bills for said sewer service shall be rendered in the manner
and in the form to be prescribed by the Borough. All bills for sewer
service shall be rendered to the owner of the premises to which the
sewer service is furnished, and such owner shall in all cases be liable
for payment of such bills.
[Ord. 249, 6/22/1961, § 3]
The Borough Council shall have ultimate responsibility for management
of the sewer system and it shall issue such rules and regulations
governing the use, operation and maintenance of said sewer system
as from time to time shall be deemed necessary.
[Ord. 249, 6/22/1961, § 4; as amended by Ord. 423,
9/9/1987, § 18-204]
The Borough shall collect and receive all sewer rates and charges
prescribed by this Part. All such moneys shall be deposited to the
credit of a separate and distinct fund of the Borough of Liberty to
be designated the "Liberty Borough Sewer System Fund."
[Ord. 249, 6/22/1961; as amended by Ord. 266, 3/17/1964, § 1;
by Ord. 272, 5/19/1965, § 1; by Ord. 286, 4/18/1967, § 1;
by Ord. 324, 7/7/1976, § 1; by Ord. 334, 7/6/1977, § 1;
by Ord. 345, 7/13/1978, § 1; by Ord. 366, 2/19/1980, § 1;
by Ord. 380, 2/3/1981, § 1; by Ord. 390, 7/6/1982, § 1;
by Ord. 397, 7/12/1983, § 1; by Ord. 422, 7/1/1987; by Ord.
423, 9/9/1987, § 18-205; by Ord. 427, 1/4/1989, § 1;
by Ord. 431, 12/28/1990, § 2; by Ord. 478, 2/2/2000, § 1;
by Ord. 491, 12/19/2002, § 1; by Ord. 497, 5/15/2003, § 1;
by Ord. 503, 12/28/2003, § 1; by Ord. 2006-1, 2/24/2006, § 1;
by Ord. 2007-02, 1/18/2007, § 1; by Ord. 2008-01, 3/19/2008, § 1;
by Ord. 2009-02, 2/18/2009, § 1; by Ord. 2009-06, 11/18/2009, § 1;
by Ord. 2011-01, 2/16/2011, § 1; by Ord. 2012-01, 1/18/2012, § 1;
by Ord. 2013-02, 7/17/2013, § 1; by Ord. 2015-04, 7/20/2015, § 1;
by Ord. 2015-08, 12/29/2015, § 1; and by Ord. 2017-02, 1/11/2017, § 1]
1. There is hereby established and imposed a sewer rental or charge
for the use of the Borough sewer system to be payable as foreordained
in order to apportion the cost of such sewerage facilities equitable
among the properties served as set forth in the following:
A. Sewage Rates; Basic Charges: The rental or charge for such services
for every property served shall be based upon the water consumed by
such properties (with exceptions herein noted) during the period previous
to that for which the said sewer rental or charge is being billed.
The sewer rental or charge shall be computed according to the water
meter readings of the Borough for water furnished to said properties.
All sewer rentals or charges shall be computed in accordance with
the following schedule:
[Amended Ord. No. 2018-02, 1/10/2018; Ord. No. 2019-02, 1/9/2019; Ord. No. 2020-01, 1/15/2020]
Quantity of Water Consumed Per Quarter
|
Sewer Rental Charge
|
---|
All gallons
|
$11.50 per 1,000 gallons or any part thereof
|
All unmetered users
|
$151.20 flat rate
|
Surcharge for all users
|
$15 per quarter
|
B. Bill Payment and Procedure.
(1)
Residents shall be billed for sewage approximately six weeks
after the end of each quarter-January 20, April 20, July 20 and October
20 are designated as the approximate billing dates for each quarter.
(2)
If payment of the net amount-shown on the bill is not received
by the Borough within approximately four weeks, the Borough shall
assess a penalty of 15% of the amount due and add the penalty to the
net amount due. The penalty assessment date shall be stated on the
sewage bill.
(3)
Reminder cards or notices shall be sent out 3 days after the
penalty date in the event that payment is not received. Residents
have one week to pay their accounts in full including the penalty
amount.
(4)
The shut-off notice will notify all delinquent account holders
that if the account proceeds through the shut off procedure, a $45
charge is assessed. This fee is payable in part to the water company
($30) and in part to the Borough as an administrative fee ($15).
(5)
In addition to the penalty which is assessed pursuant to Subsection
1B(2) above, 1% interest is added to a delinquent account beginning one month after the penalty date for as long as the account remains outstanding.
(6)
A shut-off notice shall be sent by certified mail, return receipt
requested, notifying the account holder that if payment is not received
within one week of the letter, their water will be shut off in accordance
with the water company's shut off procedure. The letter shall notify
the account holder that there is a $30 fee payable to the water company
to have the water service restored to the property.
(7)
The registration of water on two or more meters at one premises,
and used by one consumer, may be combined and billed to said user
as though registered on one meter if the Borough Council so elects.
C. Water Meters.
(1)
In the event any person, firm or corporation discharging sanitary
sewage, industrial waste, water or other liquids into the Borough's
public sanitary sewerage system either directly or indirectly, obtains
part or all of the water used by him from other sources than the Borough,
such user of other water shall, at no expense to the Borough, install
and maintain water meters satisfactory to the Borough Council for
measuring all water usage other than that obtained from the Borough
and the quantity of water used to determine the sewerage service charge
as above set forth shall be the sum of the quantity measured by all
such meters plus the quantity of water obtained from the Borough.
(2)
In the event it be established to the satisfaction of the Borough
Council that a portion of the water measured by the above-named water
meter or meters does not and cannot enter the public sanitary sewerage
system, then the Borough Council may determine in such manner and
by such method as it may deem practical, the percentage of the metered
water entering the sewer system, or the Borough Council may require
or permit installation of additional meters in such a manner as to
determine either the quantity of water excluded from the sewerage
system, or the quantity of water, sewage or industrial waste actually
entering the sewer system. The sewerage service charge shall be based
upon the quantity of water estimated, measured or computed by the Borough Council to be actually entering
the sewer system, subject to the charge provisions set up in Subsection
1A.
(3)
Persons, industries or corporations requesting consideration
for a reduction in the sewerage service charge because of water not
entering the public sanitary sewerage system shall make written application
to the Borough Council for such consideration, giving the name of
the firm, industry or business, address, Borough account number and
supporting data fully describing other sources of water, if any, as
well as disposition of water alleged not to be entering the sewer
system. The application shall be accompanied by a sketch to approximate
scale showing the plan of the property, water distribution system,
sewer layout, existing meters, and proposed meters in the scheme to
determine the quantity of flow entering, or not entering, the sewer
system. The cost of furnishing, installing and maintaining any meters
other than those utilized to measure water purchased from the Borough
shall be borne by the applicant. The type, size, location, arrangement
and maintenance of such meter shall be subject to the approval of
the Borough Council.
(4)
Nothing in the foregoing subparagraphs shall preclude the right
of the Borough Council entering into contracts with neighboring municipalities
for the treatment of their sewage under a schedule of charges differing
from those above set forth.
D. Surcharges for Certain Wastes.
(1)
The Borough reserves the right to impose such surcharges as
it deems necessary for the discharge to the sanitary sewerage system
of wastes having a strength in excess of the prevailing treatment
capabilities of the plant, or as agreed upon between the Borough and
the waste contributor.
(2)
The amount, methods of sampling, determination of surcharge,
and related characteristics of such surcharge shall be set by Borough
Council by amendment to this Part.
E. Enforcement. The Borough Council shall make and enforce such rules
and regulations for the safe, economical and efficient management,
control and protection of the Borough's public sewerage system, for
the construction and use of house sewers and connections to the sewerage
system, for the construction and use of all other connections thereto,
and for the regulations, collection, rebating and refunding of such
sewerage service charges as may be needful or necessary from time
to time.
F. Inspection. An inspector or other duly authorized employees or representatives
of the Borough Council bearing proper credentials and identification,
shall be permitted to enter upon all properties served for the purpose
of inspection, observations, sampling, testing and retesting in order
to insure compliance with all provisions of this Part.