Village of Mukwonago, WI Charges

A residential equivalency charge is hereby imposed upon each lot, parcel of land, building or premises served by the wastewater works or otherwise discharging sewage, including nondomestic and industrial wastes, into the system. Such residential equivalency charge shall be payable as provided in this division and shall be on the basis of one unit for each residential equivalent unit.

On or before September 1 of every year the Village Clerk shall recompute the assignment of residential equivalent units to all users within the system. Such summation of residential equivalent units will then be divided into the yearly debt service to arrive at the charge per residential unit. The recalculation shall be based upon the average water used by each customer, other than single-family dwellings, for the quarters ending March, June and December compared to the average amount of water used by all single-family dwellings for the quarters ending March, June and December. The assignment method shall apply only to buildings that are attached to and are customers of the Village water utility. Other users shall be assigned REC's in accordance with § 86-263. The residential equivalency charge chart is attached as Appendix A of this article.

§ 86-238 Sewer use charge and surcharges.

[Code 1966, § 23.06(3); amended 2-16-2022 by Ord. No. 1004]

A sewer use charge is hereby imposed upon all users of the wastewater works based upon the metered water used thereon or therein as calculated by the water utility. On or before September 1 of every year, the Village Clerk shall recompute the sewer use charge per 1,000 gallons of water used. This charge shall be computed by dividing the proposed net yearly operation and maintenance budget by the previous year's average water consumption. The residential water consumption for sprinkling during the quarter ending in September and any refrigeration, air conditioning system or industrial cooling water not entering the sewer system shall not be used in computing the sewer use charge.

For residential users during the quarter ending September 30, the charge shall be the same as that assessed for the last quarter previous, ending June 30, unless the water consumption for this quarter is less than that for the quarter ending June 30, in which case the charge shall be for the actual water used. For all other users, the charge shall be per 1,000 gallons based on the metered water used.

The sewer user charge includes the sewer use charge and surcharges for wastewater discharged to the wastewater collection system. These charges are in accordance with the current Sewer Rate Study.

§ 86-239 Industrial and commercial charges for other than domestic wastewater.

[Code 1966, § 23.06(4); amended 2-16-2022 by Ord. No. 1004]

Charges for wastewater other than domestic wastewater shall be based on flow, CBOD, suspended solids, phosphorus, TKN, and such other constituents which affect the cost of collection and treatment. All persons discharging wastes into the wastewater works are subject to a surcharge, in addition to any other wastewater service charge, if their wastewater has a concentration greater than domestic wastewater concentrations. The volume of flow used for computing waste surcharges shall be the metered water consumption, or the actual volume of waste as determined by an industrial waste metering installation. The amount of surcharge shall reflect the cost incurred by the utility in removing CBOD, suspended solids, TKN, phosphorus, and other pertinent constituents. The surcharge will be based in accordance with the current Sewer Rate Study.

§ 86-240 Sewer connection fee.

[Ord. No. 878, § I, 8-19-2014;[1] Ord. No. 929, § I — V, 5-2-2017; amended 2-16-2022 by Ord. No. 1004]

Levied and assessed. There is hereby levied and assessed upon each lot or parcel of land currently within the Village, but not having an existing connection to the wastewater works and upon land subsequently attached to the Village, a sewer connection fee. Such fee shall be payable as provided in this section and shall be based on the number of meter size for the connection of the water service to the property.

Existing and future connections. For the purpose of this article, sewer connections in the Village shall be classified as existing connections or future connections. Existing connections shall be those in existence and connections for which a sewer connection permit has been issued and construction started as of 11:59 p.m., March 31, 1980. Future connections shall be those not in existence as of 11:59 p.m., March 31, 1980.

Schedule of charges. The connection fee shall be charged based upon the size of the meter utilized for the water service connection to the property. The charge for said service shall be as set forth in the Sewer Rate Study. Said Sewer Rate Study shall be made available for review and inspection in the office of the Village Clerk.

(d)

Payments. There shall be no connection fee charge for existing connections. Connection fee payments for future connections where only one meter is utilized to provide water service, shall be made in full upon the issuance of a building and/or plumbing permit. Payments for connection fees where there are multiple meters serving multiple tenants or users of the structure shall be paid either in one lump sum or as follows:

(1)

25% upon the issuance of a building permit.

(2)

25% upon the granting of an occupancy permit.

(3)

The remaining charges to be paid out in 12 equal installments, due on or before the first of each month.

(4)

If any of the monthly payments are not paid when due, then the entire amount shall immediately become due and become a lien against the property that shall be placed upon the tax bill for the property. Interest of 1 1/2% shall be assessed on the entire amount due and owing. The interest shall be calculated from the date of issuance of the building permit. An administrative fee of 10% of the amount placed upon the tax bill shall also be assessed.

[1]

Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former § 86-240, which pertained to reserve capacity assessments and derived from Code 1966, § 23.06(5) and Ord. No. 569.

§ 86-241 Ready-to-serve charge.

[Code 1966, § 23.06(6)]

The owner of each premises to which sewer service has been provided by the utility, but not connected to the wastewater works for sewer service, shall pay for the availability thereof a ready-to-serve charge of 90% of the rate provided by § 86-237. Any ready-to-serve charge becoming effective during any year shall be charged on a pro rata basis for that year in which such charge becomes effective.

§ 86-242 Special rates.

[Code 1966, § 23.06(7)]

It is understood, however, that the approving authority may, at any time hereafter, set special rates for any large commercial service, industrial use or any other unique user that does not readily fit into other categories of users.

§ 86-243 Payment.

[Code 1966, § 23.07]

Monthly billing; due date; penalty. Sewer service charges may be billed monthly and shall be payable at the Village Clerk's office or at any other officially designated location. Statements for such charges and assessments levied and assessed in accordance with this article shall become due and payable within 20 days from and after the date of the statement. If any such statement is not paid when due, a penalty of 10% will be added thereto.

Responsibility for payment. The property owner is held responsible for all sewer bills on premises that he owns. All sewer bills and notices of any nature, relative to the sewer service, will be addressed to the owner and/or occupant and delivered to the addressee by first class mail.

Failure to receive bill no penalty exemption. Every reasonable care will be exercised in the proper delivery of sewer bills. Failure to receive a sewer bill, however, shall not relieve any person of the responsibility for payment of sewer rates within the prescribed period, nor exempt any person from any penalty imposed for delinquency in the payment thereof.

(d)

Delinquent bills; notice of arrears; penalty; lien. On October 15 in each year, notice shall be given to the owner or occupant of all lots or parcels of real estate to which service has been furnished prior to October 1 and for which payment is owing and in arrears at the time of giving such notice. The utility shall furnish the Village Treasurer with a list of all such lots or parcels of real estate, and the notice shall be given by the Village Treasurer. Such notice shall be in writing and shall state the amount of such arrears, including any penalty assessed pursuant to the rules of such utility; that unless the same is paid by November 1, a penalty of 10% of the amount of such arrears will be added thereto; and that unless such arrears and penalty is paid by November 15, the same will be levied as a tax against the lot or parcel of real estate to which service was furnished and for which payment is delinquent, as specified. Such notice may be served by delivery to either such owner or occupant personally, or by letter addressed to such owner or occupant at the post office address of such lot or parcel of real estate. On November 16, the Village Treasurer issuing the notice shall certify and file with the Village Clerk a list of all lots or parcels of real estate, giving the legal description thereof and the amount of unpaid arrears and penalty. Each such delinquent amount, including such penalty, shall thereupon become a lien upon the lot or parcel of real estate to which the service was furnished and payment for which is delinquent, and the Village Clerk shall insert the same as a tax against such lot or parcel of real estate. All proceedings in relation to the collection of general property taxes and to the return and sale of property for delinquent taxes shall apply to the tax if the same is not paid within the time required by law for payment of taxes upon real estate.

§ 86-244 Disposition of revenue.

[Code 1966, § 23.08]

Costs of operation and maintenance; depreciation reserve; bond payments. The rates and charges set forth in this division shall be applicable to all services furnished and made available by the wastewater works to the Village and its inhabitants, and all other persons, firms and corporations, both public and private, until modified by ordinance amendatory hereof or supplemental hereto, provided such rates and charges, as amended, shall always be fixed, maintained and collected in such amount as shall produce gross revenues adequate to pay as incurred all costs of the operation and maintenance of the utility, to accumulate an adequate reserve for the depreciation thereof, and to pay, when due, the principal of and interest on all bonds of the utility which are payable from the revenues of the wastewater works.

Revenue fund. The funds received from the collection of the sewer service charges authorized by this article shall be credited to a sewer system revenue fund and shall be set aside into the separate and special funds heretofore provided for by the approving authority for the reasonable and proper operation and maintenance of the wastewater works, for a proper and adequate depreciation account, and for the payment of the interest and principal of bonds issued and outstanding, or which may be hereafter issued to provide funds to construct, improve or extend the wastewater works.