The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article,
shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where
the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Alamo Heights Water System
shall mean and include all water wells, pumps, pump houses,
water towers, distribution mains, laterals, valves, valve boxes, fire
hydrants, meters, meter boxes and piping up to and including the water
meters. Pipes, valves, fittings, equipment and appliances on the consumer's
side of the water meter are not a part of the water system and the
water department has no responsibility for maintaining them or any
part of them.
Water bill
means any charge made by the city, made for water or services
rendered to any person, and shall include any service charge or charges
and any penalty or penalties assessed in connection with overdue accounts.
(1965 Code, sec. 21-13)
(a) A fifty
dollar ($50.00) deposit shall be required from any property owner.
A seventy-five dollar ($75.00) deposit, refunded at move out, shall
be required from any residential tenant who does not own the premises
to which water is to be furnished. A one hundred fifty dollar ($150.00)
deposit shall be required from any restaurant consumer which does
not own the premises to which the water is to be furnished. A one
hundred dollar ($100.00) deposit shall be required from any other
business or commercial consumer who does not own the premises to which
the water is to be furnished.
(b) Upon
termination of water service to a consumer, the deposit shall be refunded
if all water bills of the consumer have been paid. If the consumer
discontinues water service with an unpaid water bill, the deposit
shall be first applied to the unpaid water bill and the balance, if
any, refunded to the consumer.
(c) Customers
shall receive an early refund of their deposit, applied to the account
as a credit payment, if they have paid twenty-four (24) consecutive
bills with no disconnects or returned checks and no more than one
penalty.
(d) Customers
that have received an early refund of their deposit or would qualify
for an early deposit refund, shall not be charged a deposit if they
are opening a new account.
(1965 Code, sec. 21-14; Ordinance 1558 adopted 8/9/2004; Ordinance 1812, sec. 3, adopted 2/23/2009)
On all new connections to the water system, the following service
line installation charge, payable in advance of installation, will
apply:
Size of Service Line
|
Charge
|
---|
5/8" meter
|
$1,000.00
|
3/4" meter
|
1,150.00
|
1" meter
|
1,250.00
|
1-1/2" meter
|
1,350.00
|
2" meter
|
1,450.00
|
3" meter and larger
|
Time and materials
|
If there is no water main immediately adjacent to the property
where service is desired, there will be an additional charge, based
on cost of time and material, to extend a water main to the property.
(1965 Code, sec. 21-15; Ordinance 1240 adopted 9/24/1990; Ordinance 1558 adopted 8/9/2004)
(a) Categories
of users.
(1) Residential.
Customers with a meter serving only a one-family
or two-family residential dwelling.
(2) Multi-Family.
Customers with a meter serving a structure
that contains three (3) or more dwelling units.
(3) Commercial.
Customers conducting retail, manufacturing and other business activities, including, but not limited to, restaurants, laundries, offices and stores. Includes hydrant meter consumption as described in section
19-37.
(4) Institutional.
Customers that are churches, public and
private schools and other facilities for training and educational
purposes.
(5) Irrigation.
Customers with a meter that is utilized
solely for the irrigation of landscaping or other exterior uses. Irrigation
meters shall be required for any irrigation systems providing coverage
to more than two thousand five hundred (2,500) square feet of turf
or other landscaping.
(b) The
monthly charge for water service shall be determined by adding the
base charge for meter size to the charge for water consumed. Water
bills to customers, which may include other authorized charges for
city services shall be rendered monthly.
(c) The
meter size charge shall be established as follows:
Meter Size
|
Monthly Charge Effective October 1, 2023
|
Monthly Charge Effective October 1, 2024
|
Monthly Charge Effective October 1, 2025
|
Monthly Charge Effective October 1, 2026
|
Monthly Charge Effective October 1, 2027
|
---|
5/8"
|
$3.78
|
$4.12
|
$4.49
|
$4.90
|
$5.34
|
3/4"
|
$11.36
|
$12.38
|
$13.49
|
$14.71
|
$16.03
|
1"
|
$18.92
|
$20.63
|
$22.48
|
$24.51
|
$26.71
|
1-1/2"
|
$47.32
|
$51.58
|
$56.22
|
$61.28
|
$66.79
|
2"
|
$75.71
|
$82.53
|
$89.95
|
$98.05
|
$106.87
|
3"
|
$189.27
|
$206.30
|
$224.87
|
$245.11
|
$267.17
|
4" or greater
|
$283.91
|
$309.46
|
$337.32
|
$367.67
|
$400.77
|
(d) The
water consumption charge shall be established as follows:
Effective October 1, 2023
|
---|
Consumption in Cubic Feet
(cf)
|
Residential Rate per 100 cf
|
Multifamily Rate per 100 cf
|
Commercial Rate per 100 cf
|
Institutional Rate per 100 cf
|
Irrigation Rate per 100 cf
|
---|
500 or less
|
$1.05
|
$1.05
|
$1.49
|
$1.05
|
$1.05
|
501 to 1,000 cf
|
$1.43
|
$1.43
|
$1.86
|
$1.43
|
$1.43
|
1,001 to 2,300 cf
|
$2.06
|
$2.06
|
$2.50
|
$2.06
|
$2.06
|
2,301 or more
|
$3.49
|
$3.49
|
$3.93
|
$3.49
|
$3.49
|
Effective October 1, 2024
|
---|
Consumption in Cubic Feet
(cf)
|
Residential Rate per 100 cf
|
Multifamily Rate per 100 cf
|
Commercial Rate per 100 cf
|
Institutional Rate per 100 cf
|
Irrigation Rate per 100 cf
|
---|
500 or less
|
$1.14
|
$1.14
|
$1.63
|
$1.14
|
$1.14
|
501 to 1,001
|
$1.56
|
$1.56
|
$2.03
|
$1.56
|
$1.56
|
1,001 to 2,300 cf
|
$2.25
|
$2.25
|
$2.72
|
$2.25
|
$2.25
|
2,301 or more
|
$3.80
|
$3.80
|
$4.29
|
$3.80
|
$3.80
|
Effective October 1, 2025
|
---|
Consumption in Cubic Feet
(cf)
|
Residential Rate per 100 cf
|
Multifamily Rate per 100 cf
|
Commercial Rate per 100 cf
|
Institutional Rate per 100 cf
|
Irrigation Rate per 100 cf
|
---|
500 or less
|
$1.24
|
$1.24
|
$1.77
|
$1.24
|
$1.24
|
501 to 1,000 cf
|
$1.70
|
$1.70
|
$2.21
|
$1.70
|
$1.70
|
1,001 to 2,300 cf
|
$2.45
|
$2.45
|
$2.97
|
$2.45
|
$2.45
|
2,301 or more
|
$4.14
|
$4.14
|
$4.68
|
$4.14
|
$4.14
|
Effective October 1, 2026
|
---|
Consumption in Cubic Feet
(cf)
|
Residential Rate per 100 cf
|
Multifamily Rate per 100 cf
|
Commercial Rate per 100 cf
|
Institutional Rate per 100 cf
|
Irrigation Rate per 100 cf
|
---|
500 or less
|
$1.36
|
$1.36
|
$1.93
|
$1.36
|
$1.36
|
501 to 1,000 cf
|
$1.85
|
$1.85
|
$2.41
|
$1.85
|
$1.85
|
1,001 to 2,300 cf
|
$2.67
|
$2.67
|
$3.23
|
$2.67
|
$2.67
|
2,301 or more
|
$4.52
|
$4.52
|
$5.10
|
$4.52
|
$4.52
|
Effective October 1, 2027
|
---|
Consumption in Cubic Feet
(cf)
|
Residential Rate per 100 cf
|
Multifamily Rate per 100 cf
|
Commercial Rate per 100 cf
|
Institutional Rate per 100 cf
|
Irrigation Rate per 100 cf
|
---|
500 or less
|
$1.48
|
$1.48
|
$2.11
|
$1.48
|
$1.48
|
501 to 1,000 cf
|
$2.02
|
$2.02
|
$2.63
|
$2.02
|
$2.02
|
1,001 to 2,300 cf
|
$2.91
|
$2.91
|
$3.52
|
$2.91
|
$2.91
|
2,301 or more
|
$4.92
|
$4.92
|
$5.55
|
$4.92
|
$4.92
|
Editor's note—Ordinance 1683, adopted Nov. 13, 2006, repealed former § 19-29, and enacted a new §
19-29 as set out herein. The former § 19-29 pertained to water rates and derived from the 1965 Code, § 21-16; Ordinance 1241, adopted Sept. 24, 1990; Ordinance 1287, adopted June 22, 1992; Ordinance 1374, adopted May 20, 1996; Ordinance 1536, adopted Sept. 22, 2003; Ordinance 1558, adopted August 9, 2004; Ordinance 1587, adopted July 12, 2005; Ordinance 1660, adopted July 31, 2006.
(Ordinance 1683 adopted 11/13/2006; Ordinance 1812, sec. 3, adopted 2/23/2009; Ordinance 2113 adopted 10/22/2018; Ordinance 2157 adopted 4/13/2020; Ordinance
2213 adopted 9/11/2023)
(a) All
water bills are payable monthly to the city on or before the due date
shown on the water bill. After the due date a ten (10) percent penalty
will be added to the bill.
(b) If no
penalty has been assessed to the account for the previous twelve (12)
months, the penalty shall be waived.
(1965 Code, sec. 21-17; Ordinance 1812, sec. 4, adopted 2/23/2009)
(a) If any
water bill is unpaid after the due date shown on the water bill, the
city shall notify the consumer that the water supply shall be turned
off ten (10) days from the date of the notice. If a city employee
is sent in person to furnish such written notice to the consumers'
premises, a fifteen dollar ($15.00) notification charge will be added
to the water bill. If the water bill is not paid within the required
time, the water supply shall be turned off, except in cases of bona
fide emergency, and an additional twenty dollar ($20.00) turn-off
charge shall be added to the bill.
(b) Once
the water supply has been turned off, it will not be turned on again
until all previous water bills, notification charges, turn-off charges,
and an additional twenty dollar ($20.00) turn-on charge, are paid.
(c) In the
event a tenant defaults in the payment of a water bill, the water
will not be turned on again without payment of all notification, turn-off
and turn-on charges owing on the account.
(1965 Code, sec. 21-18; Ordinance 1214 adopted 5/22/1989; Ordinance 1222 adopted 10/23/1989; Ordinance 1558 adopted 8/9/2004)
Where water is supplied to any premises in the city by the city
water department, the owner shall provide a valve of suitable size
and the type to shut off the flow of water to the premises. In no
case shall such valve be less than three-fourths-inch nominal pipe
size. Such valve shall be located on the consumer's side of the water
meter, outside of the meter box and not less than six (6) inches there
from. It shall not be located in any public street, alley or parkway.
It shall be protected by a suitable valve box or housing so that it
will be accessible and operable at all times. Any key or wrench required
for operating such valve shall be available on the premises at all
time, such valve, box and key shall remain the property of the owner
of the premises who shall be fully responsible for their maintenance
and upkeep.
Whether or not a property owner installs the prescribed shut-off
valve, said property owner or consumer shall be responsible for the
cost of water through their meter that is related to uncontrolled
or unattended leaks on their side of the city's meter. If warranted
due to the volume of water being lost or because of water scarcity,
the city may, with not less than twenty-four (24) hours' written notice
to the property owner or consumer, temporarily discontinue service
at the city's water meter until such leaks are repaired.
(1965 Code, sec. 21-19; Ordinance 1587 adopted 7/12/2005)
(a) No person,
other than an employee of the water department or of the city shall
operate, open, close or tamper with the valve installed by the water
department on the water main side of the meter. Such valve is reserved
exclusively for the use of the water department. In case of an emergency,
the water department shall be notified and they may send an employee
to turn the water off or on as may be required. There shall be paid
to the city a fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for each trip an
employee of the water department makes to open or close the valve
on the water main side of a water meter in the city.
(b) No person,
other than an employee of the water department or of the city shall
work on or tamper with any water meter or any meter box or operate
or tamper with a water valve or fire hydrant installed on the water
system of the city; providing, however, that none of the provisions
herein shall apply to the members of the city fire department in performance
of their duties as firemen.
(1965 Code, sec. 21-20; Ordinance 1558 adopted 8/9/2004)
(a) Size
upgrade per customer request: Direct cost of new installation, plus
fifty dollar ($50.00) processing charge.
(b) Replace
meter at customer request (charge reflects meter cost plus fifty dollar
($50.00) processing charge):
5/8" meter
|
$80.00
|
3/4" meter
|
150.00
|
1" meter
|
275.00
|
1-1/2" meter
|
300.00
|
2" meter
|
350.00
|
3" meter and larger
|
At cost plus $50.00 processing charge
|
(c) Calibrate
or check meter calibration at customer request:
Up to 2" meter
|
$30.00
|
3" meter and larger
|
At cost
|
(d) Late
fee for bills paid more than three (3) days past due date.
(Ordinance 1558 adopted 8/9/2004)
(a) A monthly
fee shall be collected to offset charges and costs incurred for the
implementation of water conservation programs and measures. Such fee
shall be added to the water bill of all customers to which the city
supplies water.
(b) The
water conservation fee of $0.1024 per one hundred (100) cubic feet
is established and may be increased by the city council from time
to time after the date of enactment of this section.
(Ordinance 1660 adopted 7/31/2006; Ordinance 1812, sec. 5, adopted 2/23/2009)
(a) A monthly
fee shall be collected to offset charges and costs incurred as a result
of the management fees assessed by the Edwards Aquifer Authority.
Such fee shall be added to the water bill of all customers to which
the city supplies water.
(b) The
amount of the fee shall be $0.33097 per one hundred (100) cubic feet
of water consumed.
(c) The
above stated rate may be increased by the city council from time to
time on account of any increase in the fees charged to the city by
the Edwards Aquifer Authority, based on the amount of acre-feet of
water rights held by the city, from the date of enactment of this
section.
(d) Subject
to city council approval, the Edwards Aquifer fees shall be adjusted
from time to time to reflect any charges assessed by the Edwards Aquifer
Authority for funding the habitat conservation plan for amelioration
of habitat destruction. The city budget shall be automatically amended
to reflect the collection and disbursement of such fees.
(Ordinance 1660 adopted 7/31/2006; Ordinance 1933 adopted 7/23/2012)
(a) Water
used for construction projects shall not be drawn from a residential
or commercial customer connection without the express permission of
that customer.
(b) Failure
to obtain said permission shall constitute theft from the customer
and subject the violator to appropriate legal action.
(c) Construction
project water shall not be drawn from city sources without the use
of a city-issued hydrant meter and backflow prevention assembly.
(d) Use
of city water without the use of a city-issued hydrant meter and backflow
prevention assembly, or without receiving express permission for alternative
arrangements prior to use of city water, shall be considered theft
and shall be referred for appropriate action to the Alamo Heights
Police Department.
(e) A city-issued
hydrant meter and backflow prevention assembly shall be requested
through the utility division of the public works department prior
to use of a city water source.
(f) Fees
for use of city water and a hydrant meter/backflow prevention assembly
are as follows:
(1) Deposit:
Five hundred dollars ($500.00) due upon application.
(2) Rental of meter:
One hundred ninety-five dollars ($195.00)
per month, prorated per calendar day, due upon return.
(3) Water rate:
Not less than one dollar ($1.00) per hundred
(100) cubic feet, depending on use and city's tier rate structure,
due upon return.
(g) These
fees may be changed from time-to-time upon the recommendation of the
public works director and upon action of the city council.
(h) Once
the hydrant meter and backflow prevention assembly have been returned,
the amount of water consumed and the number of calendar days the unit
was used will be determined, and the fees due the city will be computed.
These fees will be deducted from the deposit originally placed with
the city. Any amount of the deposit remaining shall be refunded to
the applicant. Any amount still due the city will be charged to the
applicant and will be immediately payable to the city.
(i) In the
event an amount remains due the city and it is not paid by the applicant
within five (5) business days of the date the bill was rendered, the
city may, at its option, 1) choose to withhold further water utility
service from the applicant until payment is made, 2) pursue legal
remedies for theft of water, 3) revoke or suspend the applicant's
registration that allows him to do business in the city, 4) terminate
or issue stop work orders for all building permits associated with
either the property and/or the applicant, or apply any and all of
the options listed herein.
(Ordinance 1671 adopted 8/28/2006; Ordinance 1812, sec. 6, adopted 2/23/2009)
(a) [Hidden
water leak.]
Any customer of water utilities provided
by the City of Alamo Heights who is billed for a substantial increase
in water use during any single month billing period due to a hidden
water leak of which the water utility customer had no prior knowledge
and of which the water utility customer would not have reasonably
had knowledge, or due to other water loss beyond the control of the
customer, may request an adjustment in the amount billed for utility
services that is based upon water consumption during that period.
(b) [Notification.]
Customers who have been notified by the city of a water leak on their side of the city's meter in accordance with section
19-32, and who do not subsequently and expeditiously correct the conditions causing the leak or other water loss, may not be considered for an adjustment under this section.
(c) Definitions.
For the purpose of this section, the following terms shall be
defined as follows:
Excess usage
means the difference in the "greatest normal usage" of water
at a service location and the actual amount of water metered and billed
in the billing month for which the adjustment at the service location
is requested.
Greatest normal usage
means the amount of water metered at the customer's service
location in the billing month of greatest consumption during the past
twelve (12) consecutive months; or, if there is less than twelve (12)
prior billing months, the greatest consumption during any prior billing
months. When the "greatest normal usage" recorded is less than twelve
(12) consecutive prior billing months, the city reserves the right
to determine an estimated "greatest normal usage" for those customers
by using customers in similar usage categories. The "greatest normal
usage" shall not include the billed usage for the month the adjustment
is requested.
Hidden water leak
means any leak of a water pipe, line or other water conveyance
equipment which is the responsibility of the customer to maintain
and which is caused by deterioration, corrosion, natural forces, or
other similar causes, excluding damage due to construction or excavation
activity on the customer's side of the meter, which is not immediately
and reasonably detectable from the surface of the ground.
Substantial increase
means an increase in the amount of water metered and subsequently
billed at the customer's service location which is in excess of one
hundred twenty-five (125) percent of the "greatest normal usage" for
that customer.
(d) Procedures.
(1) Any
customer requesting an adjustment pursuant to this section shall make
said request in writing to the public works director upon such form
or forms as the public works director shall require.
(2) A
request for an adjustment based upon a hidden water leak or other
water loss beyond the control of water utility customer shall include
the following minimum information:
b. Customer
name and account number;
c. Location
of the leak or other water loss, including a location sketch or photograph
if possible;
d. Probable
cause of the leak or other water loss;
e. Date
leak or other water loss was discovered;
f. Date
leak or other water loss was remedied;
g. Name
and firm [with address and telephone number] of person making the
repair; and,
h. Legible
and detailed copies of repair bill(s).
(3) All
requests shall be submitted within thirty (30) calendar days of the
due date on the monthly bill for which an adjustment is requested.
(4) Unless
directed otherwise, the customer shall pay the rendered by the due
date.
a. Payment
arrangements for the amount in dispute may be available to the customer
until the investigation regarding the adjustment request has been
completed.
b. Any
adjustments that are approved shall be credited to the appropriate
account.
(5) A
visual verification by appropriate city staff is required if the customer
made repairs without contracted assistance and valid receipts are
not available.
(6) The
public works department shall review each of the customer's concerns
in a fair and reasonable manner to determine the eligibility of such
claim prior to forwarding its findings to the city manager.
(e) Requirements
for granting an adjustment.
(1) Under
most conditions, a request of an adjustment to a monthly bill for
utility usage will be granted if it meets the following conditions:
a. A request in accordance with subsection
(d) has been filed within the required timeframe;
b. The
requested adjustment is for a monthly billing in which there was a
substantial increase in water use resulting from a hidden water leak
or other water loss beyond the control of water utility customer;
and,
c. There
has not been an adjustment made in the monthly billing for city-provided
utilities at the same service location or the same customer within
the previous twelve (12) months under the provisions of this section.
(2) The
administration and finance staff shall calculate the amount of the
potential adjustment based on the public works department's findings
forwarded to the city manager.
(f) Amount
of adjustment.
(1) The
adjustment shall be applied to the amount of water consumption in
excess of one hundred twenty-five (125) percent of the greatest normal
usage used to determine the eligibility of the customer for an adjustment.
(2) Typical
adjustment rates for consumption above the one hundred twenty-five
(125) percent amount are as follows:
b. Under slab or in crawl space leak+:
50%.
c. Sprinkler (irrigation) leak+:
25%.
d. Vandalism—Overnight*+:
50%.
e. Vandalism—On vacation*+:
100%.
f. Water device failure+:
50%.
g. Repair and filling swimming pool:
0%.
*Police report required.
|
+Legible and detailed repair bill required.
|
(g) Decision.
(1) Consideration
of extenuating circumstances will be taken into account when determining
an adjustment.
(2) The
final decision regarding a utility bill adjustment and the amount
of any such adjustment shall be the responsibility of the city manager.
(h) Adjustments
for leaks on the customer's side of meter caused by the city or its
contractors.
(1) Should
the city or its contractors at any time cause a leak on the customer's
side of a water meter, the city will use the twelve (12) months' water
bills preceding the month(s) in which the leak occurred or continued
to compute an average bill for the month(s) is which the leak occurred
or continued. In no case shall the customer have to pay an averaged
bill that would be greater than the bill rendered during the month(s)
of the leak condition caused by the city or its contractors.
(2) Requests
for adjustments, determinations of accuracy of the requests, and decisions
shall be in general conformance with applicable subsections of this
section.
(Ordinance 1692 adopted 1/22/2007; Ordinance 1709 adopted 4/30/2007)
In an effort to offset the significant cost of constructing
a new elevated water storage tank to provide additional capacity for
the city's elevated water distribution system, a one-time water impact
fee of five hundred dollars ($500.00) per additional effective water
connection, as defined by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality,
is hereby established. The fee shall be charged to provide water service
for each additional effective water connection that is created through
development or redevelopment of any property within the city.
(Ordinance 1812, sec. 7, adopted 2/23/2009)