Effective on utility bills issued after October 1, 2025, the water and sewer rates for the City of Mercedes shall be as set forth in Exhibit A to this chapter, which is incorporated herein by reference.[1]
(Ordinance 2016-14, sec. 1, schedule A, adopted 10/18/16; Ordinance 2018-33 adopted 9/18/18; Ordinance 2021-13 adopted 9/14/21; Ordinance 2022-06 adopted 4/5/2022; Ordinance 2022-08 adopted 6/21/2022; Ordinance 2023-03 adopted 2/21/2023; Ordinance 2023-04 adopted 3/21/2023; Ordinance 2024-10 adopted 8/29/2024; Ordinance 2025-30 adopted 9/23/2025)
[1]
Editor's note–Exhibit A is included as an attachment to this chapter.
The following charges shall be made as tapping fees for making connections for the use of any water user:
(1) 
5/8" x 3/4" connection: $800.00 plus water rights, paving and boring fees.
(2) 
3/4" connection: $880.00 plus paving repairs and boring fees.
(3) 
1" connection: $945.00 plus paving repairs and boring fees.
(4) 
1-1/2" – 4" connection: Actual costs associated with tap, materials, labor and paving repairs and 10% of the actual cost for administrative fees.
(Ordinance 2016-14, sec. 1, schedule B, adopted 10/18/16; Ordinance 2022-06 adopted 4/5/2022; Ordinance 2023-04 adopted 3/21/2023)
(a) 
4" service line connection: $600.00 plus paving and boring fees.
(b) 
6" or greater service line connections: Actual costs associated with tap, materials, labor and paving repairs and 10% of the actual cost for administrative fees.
(1979 Code, sec. 27-119; Ordinance 80-53 adopted 12/16/80; Ordinance 2022-06 adopted 4/5/2022; Ordinance 2023-04 adopted 3/21/2023)
(a) 
The water meters, any related fixtures, and the installation required to do the same, shall be recoverable based on the following formula:
Cost of water meter/fixtures + 50% of costs + (est) installation $100 = recoverable costs
Example is given as follows: (meter @ $250 + fixtures @ $30) = $280 + $140 (50% of $280) + $100 installation = $520.
Furthermore, the maximum % shall not exceed $500.00 per meter.
(b) 
It is stated that should the meter equipment be damaged by the account holder, the damaged cost to repair and/or replace said equipment shall be fully reimbursed by the account holder, plus pay an additional $20.00 fee to cover the costs to administratively process the repair/replacement/(installation). On plastic meter box replacements, the account holder shall only pay for the meter box itself, but no administrative fee nor installation fee shall be levied.
(Ordinance 2020-07 adopted 5/19/20)
(a) 
All bills including water, sewer, refuse, and special assessments, will be due 15 calendar days from the date of issuance of such bill. If payment is not received by said due date, a penalty of ten percent (10%) shall be added to the original amount. Should any account remain unpaid for seven (7) days past the due date, the customer shall be considered delinquent and services terminated without further notice. Customers must pay the full amount due for utility and garbage services before service is reconnected. No new utility accounts may be opened for a customer who has an outstanding delinquent account for utility services. Other services, such as building permit sales may be withheld until such time the utility account is paid in full. A $35.00 fee will be charged to reinstate an account during normal business hours and a $50.00 fee will be charged to reinstate an account after hours. After a customer has been disconnected, no one shall make a reconnection or obtain any water by any manner from the disconnected place, except by authorized employees of the water department. An NSF charge of thirty dollars ($30.00) will be made to the customer's account for each returned check. If a customer requests a reread of their meter, and the initial reading by the city is correct, there will be a $35.00 service call fee added to the customer's current monthly bill.
(b) 
It shall be unlawful for any person or firm not so authorized, to tamper, share, adjust, replace or misuse any water meter owned by the city. Any person in violation of this section shall be fined five hundred dollars ($500.00) plus any damages as a result of such tampering plus an administrative fee, and estimated rate loss. The city has right to file criminal charges in court.
(Ordinance 2016-14, sec. 1, schedule D, adopted 10/18/16; Ordinance 2022-06 adopted 4/5/2022; Ordinance 2022-13 adopted 7/19/2022; Ordinance 2023-04 adopted 3/21/2023)
A deposit of $100.00 for homeowners and $250.00 for renters shall be required for service for all new residential and garbage accounts. A deposit of $500.00 shall be required for service for all new commercial and commercial garbage accounts. Such deposit fees, exclusive of interest earned, shall be returned to the customer upon closing of the account and full payment of the final account bill by the customer.
(Ordinance 2016-14, sec. 1, schedule E, adopted 10/18/16; Ordinance 2022-06 adopted 4/5/2022; Ordinance 2023-04 adopted 3/21/2023; Ordinance 2024-06 adopted 8/6/2024)
Residential users who are 62 years of age or older or residential users who are veterans of the armed forces of the United States of America may receive a $5.60 per month reduction in the base charge for the water and sewer for one residence only. A residential user who is both 62 years of age or older and a veteran of the armed forces of the United States of America will qualify for only one reduction in rate, either the 62 years of age or older or the veteran's reduction, but not both. The residential user must apply for the reduction at the water department and must provide proof of his/her status as either over 62 years of age or veteran. The reduction will take effect on the following billing cycle and will not be retroactive. Applicants may be required to reapply annually.
(Ordinance 2016-14, sec. 2, adopted 10/18/16; Ordinance 2022-06 adopted 4/5/2022; Ordinance 2023-04 adopted 3/21/2023)
(a) 
The following rates shall be charged to defray costs for acquisition of firefighting equipment and for operating expenses:
(1) 
Residential accounts: $3.50/month.
(2) 
Housing and apartments: $2.00/month per unit.
(3) 
Mobile homes: $1.50/month per occupied space.
(4) 
All other accounts: $3.50/month.
(b) 
Users who are 62 years of age or older may receive a $0.50 per month reduction in the fire fee.
(Ordinance 2006-19 adopted 9/28/06)
(a) 
(1) 
Single-family residential with unmetered connections with no water consumption (water wells) records shall pay a flat sewer rate equivalent to the sum of the residential base fee plus the equivalent rate of 6000 gallons of water consumption per month.
(2) 
Commercial accounts with unmetered connections with no water consumption (water wells) records shall pay a flat sewer rate equivalent to the sum of the commercial base fee plus the equivalent rate of 10,000 gallons of water consumption per month.
(b) 
Whenever the utility rates are adjusted, the sewer rate formula for “water well lots” shall be similarly applied pursuant to the residential base fee and/or the commercial base fee plus the average water consumption perceived for said unmetered site.
(c) 
The deposit rates for customers on water wells that are tied into the city sanitary sewer system are as follows, being identical to the deposit rates for those customers on metered potable water:
(1) 
Homeowner: $100.00.
(2) 
Renter: $150.00.
(3) 
Commercial: $200.00.
(Ordinance 2018-12, secs. 1, 2, adopted 4/3/18; Ordinance 2018-18 adopted 5/15/18)
(a) 
Residential.
(1) 
All permanent living units (homes, trailer homes, apartments, etc.), street, alley, or central complex pickup service: $12.72 per month per unit.
(2) 
Additional containers shall be charged $5.72 per month per unit.
(b) 
Commercial.
(1) 
Class I: Dumpster bins.
Businesses using dumpster bins will be charged on a monthly basis according to the fees below. Each business will select the dumpster size and pickup frequency and sign an agreement to that effect.
Class I. Commercial - Bins
Bin Size
Pickup Frequency per Week
Yards
1X
2X
3X
4X
5X
6X
3
$103.91
$186.92
$270.89
$353.68
$436.88
$524.00
4
$121.08
$216.74
$312.68
$410.20
$504.57
$599.89
6
$154.98
$276.41
$399.81
$529.52
$645.83
$767.65
8
$187.32
$328.19
$485.35
$634.14
$779.23
$925.36
(2) 
Class II: Handheld small commercial.
A monthly charge of $20.22 for a single 96-gallon [container]. Additional containers will be provided as needed, and an additional charge of $16.79 per month per cart shall be paid. The containers will be picked up once a week.
(Ordinance 2022-11 adopted 7/19/2022; Ordinance 2024-05 adopted 6/4/2024)
The monthly service charges for brush will be as follows:
(1) 
Residential: The rate for residential service shall be $4.50 per month.
(2) 
Commercial: The rate for commercial service shall be $7.00 per month.
(3) 
Apartment houses: The rate for apartments, where all apartments are on one meter, shall be the same as the applicable residence rate, plus $2.00 per month for each apartment unit in excess of one, whether or not all of such units are rented.
(4) 
Trailers or mobile home units: The minimum charge for trailer or mobile home units shall be $2.00 per month per active trailer space, whether the trailer thereon is occupied or unoccupied.
(5) 
Business, property, premises, or building not otherwise classified or covered: If any business, commercial institution, or property situated in the city shall not be specifically listed in any of the forgoing schedules, said business, institution, or property shall be classified and charged the rate of a like or similar business listed in said schedule. In the event a controversy arises as to the proper classification, the city commission, after a hearing with the interested party, shall determine the classification and rate and said determination shall be final and conclusive.
(Ordinance 2022-12 adopted 7/19/2022)
For all service applications, the city will determine the quantity and fee for municipal water rights. The required amount of municipal water rights for standard service will be equal to the size of the requested water meter(s) expressed in the number of equivalent 5/8" meter units multiplied by 0.2 - acre feet. The number of equivalent 5/8" meter units will be determined using AWWA standards. The amount of municipal water rights required for nonstandard service will be determined on an individual basis. The city manager or city manager's designee, will assess a fee based upon the price of pooled municipal water rights that are available through the city or the current market price. This fee will also include applicable estimated administrative and legal fees. In lieu of paying the assessed fee for municipal water rights, applicant may choose to provide the city with the required municipal water rights.
(Ordinance 2022-06 adopted 4/5/2022; Ordinance 2023-04 adopted 3/21/2023)
Payment arrangements must be made through the utility billing department for any utility services. A payment arrangement may be requested at any time during the year; however, if an account has three (3) failed payment arrangements in a twelve (12) month period, no more payment arrangements will be allowed and disconnection will commence.
(Ordinance 2023-04 adopted 3/21/2023)