[Amended 11-15-1977 by Ord. No. 1101; 11-7-1978 by Ord. No. 1144; 9-2-1980 by Ord. No. 22-80; 12-15-1981 by Ord. No. 47-81; 8-2-1983 by Ord. No. 19-83; 11-19-1985 by Ord. No. 26-85; 12-15-1987 by Ord. No. 32-87; 12-20-1988 by Ord. No. 22-88; 2-16-1993 by Ord. No. 2-93; 11-16-2004 by Ord. No. 36-04; 8-5-2008 by Ord. No. 13-08; 5-18-2010 by Ord. No. 7-10; 4-19-2011 by Ord. No. 6-11; 5-6-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-14]
[Amended 8-16-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-14; 12-18-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-25; 5-21-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-17; 11-29-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-33; 10-20-2020 by Ord.
No. 2020-20; 9-21-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-22; 10-4-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-21; 10-3-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-22]
A.
Residential usage for all domestic use only. The bills for the 12
months beginning each April shall be based on an average of the water
consumption billed in January, February, and March. The sewage charges
for a new residential user who has not established an average for
the months of January, February and March, or a user who only has
sewer and no water usage shall be charged the following usage:
[Amended 8-16-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-14; 12-18-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-25; 5-21-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-17; 11-29-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-33; 10-20-2020 by Ord.
No. 2020-20; 9-21-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-22; 10-4-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-21; 10-3-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-22]
General services rates (formerly commercial) are applied to
nonresidential accounts each month. The charges are:
A.
Effective October 2023 billing: customer charge of $75.71 per meter,
plus $0.04232 per cubic foot.
[Amended 8-16-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-14; 12-18-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-25; 5-21-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-17; 11-29-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-33; 10-20-2020 by Ord.
No. 2020-20; 9-21-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-22; 10-4-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-21; 10-3-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-22]
Large general services rates are as follows:
A.
Users contributing above allowed limits of BOD, SS, TKN, or FOG as
defined below.
The charges are:
(1)
Effective October 2023 billing:
(a)
Minimum charge of $402.50 per meter; and
(b)
Per cubic foot: $0.0213; and
(c)
Per pound of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) that is measured
to be greater than 200 mg/l: $0.40; and
(d)
Per pound of suspended solids (SS) that are measured to be greater
than 220 mg/l: $0.25.
(e)
Per pound of total kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) that is measured
to be greater than 30 mg/l: $0.50.
(f)
Per pound of fats, oils and grease (FOG) that are measured to
be greater than 100 mg/l: $0.27.
B.
The sewer charges in Subsection A(1)(c) through (f) above are based on observed wastewater flow from the customer using a suitable continuous recording device for measuring concentrations of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), suspended solids (SS), total kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) and fats, oils and grease (FOG).
C.
If the additional cost associated with industrial general service
wastes are not recovered by the large general service rate charges
or above surcharges, the City shall have the option to review the
effect any user (all classifications) has on the wastewater system
and establish adequate charges, if necessary, for the excessive amounts
of biochemical oxygen demand, suspended solids or other applicable
pollutants.
A.
The use charge shall be applied separately to each individual user
having a separate water meter which measures water contributed to
or discharged into the sanitary sewerage system and shall be determined
by the water meter reading for water furnished by the Water Department
of the City or by privately owned water supply which may contribute
to or discharge into the sanitary sewerage system. In the case of
an unmetered water supply, the quantity of water used and discharged
into the sanitary sewerage system shall be determined to the satisfaction
of the Council and at the expense of the owner of the unmetered water
supply. If the quantity of unmetered water discharged into the sanitary
sewerage system is estimated by the Council to be ordinarily in excess
of the amount permitted to be used under the minimum charge as applied
to said user, the Council may require such water supply to be metered
at the expense of the owner or user.
B.
Should a water meter get out of order or fail to register properly,
the user shall be charged for the month or months in which the meter
is accurate, a sum equal to the charge for the amount of water used
on said premises during the corresponding period of the preceding
year; provided that if no basis for such comparison exists, or if
the Water/Wastewater Superintendent determines such basis is unfair
to the consumer, the consumer shall pay such reasonable sum for sewer
use during such period as the Water/Wastewater Superintendent shall
determine. In the event of any unusual circumstances causing a higher
water use than normal during the month in which residential rates
are set, the following 11 months' sewer use fee to the consumer may
be adjusted as determined to be fair by the Water/Wastewater Superintendent.
[Amended 4-3-2018 by Ord.
No. 2018-10]
C.
Any water meter out of order must be repaired and put into operation
as soon as practical.
The use fees prescribed by this article shall be collected at
the same time and in the same manner and by the same officers as water
charges are collected by the City.[1]
All money raised from the sewer use fees shall be used for the
maintenance or operation of the existing system, to create a reserve
fund for the purpose of future maintenance or construction of a new
sewer system or for the payment of bonds outstanding or to be issued
for the construction of or additions to such sewerage system for the
City.
In addition to all other remedies, if a customer shall for any
reason remain indebted to the municipality for sewer service furnished,
such amount due, together with any rents and charges in arrears, shall
be considered a delinquent sewer rent which is hereby declared to
be a lien upon the real estate for which the same was furnished. Any
delinquent sewer rentals which remain unpaid for a period of three
months after they become due may be, by resolution of the Council,
assessed against said real estate as a special assessment, which special
assessment shall be certified by the Municipal Clerk to the County
Clerk of Seward County, Nebraska. The County Clerk shall thereupon
place the same on the tax rolls for collection, subject to the same
penalties and to be collected in like manner as other City taxes;
provided that the City shall notify in writing nonoccupying owners
of premises or their agents whenever their tenants or lessees are
60 days' delinquent in the payment of sewer rent. Thereafter, if the
owner of said real estate or his agent within such City shall notify
the Council or Superintendent in writing to discontinue sewer service
to said real estate or the occupants thereof, it shall be the duty
of the officer in charge of the Water/Wastewater Department promptly
to discontinue said service; and rentals for any sewer service furnished
to the occupants of said real estate in violation of said notice shall
not be a lien thereon. (Neb. RS 16-694)
