[1]
Cross Reference — Appendix A of ord. no. 060694 adopted on June 6, 1994 is on file in the city offices.
[Ord. No. 060694 Art. I, 6-6-1994]
It is determined and declared to be necessary and conducive to the protection of the public health, safety, welfare and convenience of the City to collect rates, fees and charges for the use of and services provided by the System. The proceeds of such charges so derived will be used for the purpose of operating and maintaining the System; paying the principal of and interest on all revenue bonds or other obligations of the City now outstanding or hereinafter issued or incurred ("Revenue Bonds," as hereinafter defined) that are payable solely from the revenues of the System (the "System Revenues," as hereinafter defined); and providing funds sufficient to meet the requirements of the ordinances of the City authorizing issuance of the Revenue Bonds (the "Bond Ordinances," as hereinafter defined), including replacement of the System.
[Ord. No. 060694 Art. II(§§1 — 12), 6-6-1994]
Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, the meaning of terms used in this Article shall be as follows:
BOD (DENOTING BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND)
The quantity of oxygen utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory procedure in five (5) days at twenty degrees (20°C), expressed in milligrams per liter (mg/l).
BOND ORDINANCES
The ordinances duly adopted by the Governing Body of the City which authorize the issuance of Revenue Bonds.
NORMAL DOMESTIC WASTEWATER
Wastewater that has a BOD concentration of not more than 264 mg/l and a suspended solids concentration of not more than 300 mg/l.
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
All expenditures during the useful life of the System for materials, labor, utilities, and other items which are necessary for managing and maintaining the System was designed and constructed; provided however, that the terms "Operation and Maintenance" shall also have the meaning given to them by the Bond Ordinances, and in the event of any conflict in the meaning hereinabove prescribed and the terms of the Bond Ordinances, the Bond Ordinances shall govern.
REPLACEMENT
Expenditures for obtaining and installing equipment, accessories, or appurtenances which are necessary during the useful life of the System to maintain the capacity and performance for which the System was designed and constructed; provided however, that the term "replacement" shall also have the meaning given to it by the Bond Ordinances, and in the event of any conflict in the meaning hereinabove prescribed and the terms of the Bond Ordinances, the Bond Ordinances shall govern.
REVENUE BONDS
All bonds or other obligations of the City now outstanding or hereinafter issued which are payable solely from System Revenues.
SHALL
Is mandatory; "may" is permissive.
SS (Denoting suspended solids)
Solids that either float on the surface of or are in suspension in water, sewage, or other liquids and which are removable by laboratory filtering.
TREATMENT FACILITIES
That part of the System consisting of any devices and systems for the storage, treatment, recycling, and reclamation of municipal sewage, domestic sewage, or liquid industrial wastes. These include intercepting sewers, outfall sewers, sewage collection systems, individual systems, pumping, power, and other equipment and their appurtenances; extensions improvement, remodeling, additions and alterations thereof; elements essential to provide a reliable recycled supply such as standby treatment units and clear well facilities; and any works, including site acquisition of the land that will be an integral part of the treatment process or is used for ultimate disposal of residues resulting from such treatment (including land for composting sludge, temporary storage of such systems before land application); or any other method or system for preventing abating, reducing, storing, treating, separating, or disposing of municipal waste or industrial waste, including waste in combined stormwater and sanitary sewer system.
USEFUL LIFE
The estimated period during which the Treatment Facilities will be operated.
USER CHARGE
That portion of the total System Revenues which is levied and collected in a proportional and adequate manner to pay the cost of Operation and Maintenance, to pay the principal of and interest on the Revenue Bonds and to meet all requirements of the Bond Ordinances, including the cost of replacement.
WATER METER
A water volume measuring and recording device, furnished and/or installed by the City of Peculiar or furnished and/or installed by a user and approved by the City of Peculiar.
[Ord. No. 060694 Art. III(§§1 — 4), 6-6-1994; Ord. No. 08072023A, 8-7-2023]
A. 
Unless otherwise provided by the bond ordinances, the user charges shall be collected and disbursed as provided by this Section.
B. 
The user charge system shall generate adequate annual system revenues to pay costs of operation and maintenance, to pay principal of and interest on the revenue bonds, and to provide funds to meet the requirements of the bond ordinances, including replacement, which the City may by ordinance designate or have designated to be paid by the user charge system.
C. 
User charges shall be deposited in the appropriate enterprise fund. Fiscal year-end balances shall be carried over the subsequent fiscal year.
[Ord. No. 060694 Art. IV(§§1 — 2), 6-6-1994; Ord. No. 080502 §3, 8-5-2002; Ord. No. 08072023A, 8-7-2023]
A. 
Residential Contributors. Each user or contributor shall pay for the services provided by the City of Peculiar sewer system based on the sewer user's choice of two (2) calculation methods. Individual residential users will determine the best method of calculation for their household. No sewer services shall be furnished or rendered free of charge to any person.
1. 
Volumetric Method. For residential contributors, monthly sewer user charges shall be based on the water usage as determined by water meter readings during the month.
2. 
Winter Average Method. For residential contributors, customers will be charged for sanitary sewer services using the volumetric method up to their calculated winter average. Should the actual volume of water usage exceed the customer's calculated winter average, sanitary sewer charges will be assessed based on the calculated winter average rather than the volumetric usage. Customers will still be responsible for actual water charges.
a. 
A customer's winter average shall be calculated annually in April of each year and applicable beginning May 1 for the following twelve (12) months.
b. 
To calculate the winter average, the City will utilize the actual volume of water usage based on readings during the months of December, January, and February (average period) dividing the total by the average period. The calculated winter average shall remain the basis for determining the contributor's monthly sewer charges until a new average consumption is determined following the next average period.
c. 
Should a customer have a calculated winter average less than the overall winter average of the City as a whole, customers billed for sewer charges under the winter average method will be charged based on the volumetric method of billing for sewer services up to the calculated overall City average and with the overage City winter average serving as the maximum volume amount sewer services will be billed for monthly.
d. 
If a residential user or contributor has not been provided services within the averaging period, they will be billed based on the volumetric method until they have incurred services through the average period as defined above.
e. 
Should a residential contributor decide to opt out of the winter average method in favor of the volumetric method after the automatic application of the winter average method following the average period, written notification must be provided to the Utility Department at City Hall located at 250 S. Main Street, Peculiar, MO 64078. This election must be submitted annually after the application of the winter average calculation.
B. 
Non-Residential Contributors. Each user or contributor shall pay for the services provided by the City of Peculiar sanitary sewer system based on the sewer user's actual volumetric use of the system as determined by water meters or other measuring devices or methods acceptable to the City.
C. 
"Residential contributors" shall mean any contributor to the City's sewer collection system whose structure is exclusively used for domestic dwelling purposes with no more than two (2) dwelling units on each separate water meter. Users of a portion of a structure which portion is separately metered for water use and is used exclusively as a dwelling are also classified as residential contributors. Residential contributors shall not include the users of hotels, motels, boarding houses, nursing homes, residence halls, or multi-unit residential complexes served by a common water meter or meters.
D. 
"Non-residential contributors" shall include industrial, commercial, or multi-unit residential complexes served by a common water meter or meters.
E. 
If a non-residential contributor has a consumptive use of water, or in some manner uses water which is not returned to the wastewater collection system, the user charge for that contributor may be based on a wastewater meter(s) or separate water meter(s) installed and maintained at the contributor's expense and in a manner acceptable to the City.
[Ord. No. 060694 Art. IV(§§3 — 5), 6-6-1994; Ord. No. 110695 §2, 11-6-1995; Res. No. 2009-48, 9-15-2010; Ord. No. 08072023A, 8-7-2023]
A. 
The monthly rates required and which shall be charged and collected by the City of Peculiar, Missouri, for sewerage services furnished by the sewerage system of said City of Peculiar, Missouri, shall be assessed in accordance with the Schedule of Utility Rates available at City Hall located at 250 S. Main St., Peculiar, MO 64078.
B. 
For those contributors who contribute wastewater, the strength of which is greater than normal domestic sewage, a surcharge in addition to the normal user charge will be collected.
The surcharge is:
$0.23 per pound BOD; and
$0.27 per pound SS
C. 
Any user which discharges any toxic pollutants which cause an increase in the cost of managing the effluent or the sludge from the City's system, or any water user which discharges any substances which singly or by interaction with other substances causes identifiable increases in the cost of operation, maintenance, or replacement of the system, shall pay for such increased costs. The charge to each such user shall be as determined by the City and approved by the Board of Aldermen.
D. 
Sewerage System Credits. Detailed below is the instance where City staff has the authority to process a billing credit for sewerage service billing:
1. 
Sod Credit. As the City requires sod to be planted on residential lots as detailed in Section 405.860, Residential Landscaped Area Requirements, customers of the City's sewerage system can request a one (1) time adjustment referred to as a "sod credit" after sod has been installed on the property. With a sod credit, the customer's bill will adjust sewerage charges down to the City average for the selected billing period to allow for the water that did not enter the City's wastewater system. Customers are still responsible for all water charges for services rendered.
a. 
Request for the one (1) time sod credit shall be submitted, in writing, to the Utility Department at City Hall.
b. 
This credit is only applicable to new residential construction and is not available to customers who replace sod on their property.
[Ord. No. 060694 Art. V(§1), 6-6-1994]
The user charge established in Sections 705.220 — 705.230 shall be added to and collected with the water bill of each user. All bills for such sewage charges shall be mailed in accordance with Section 700.030 of this Code. For these user charges determined by a service contract approved by the Board of Aldermen, collection will be based upon the terms of said contract.
[Ord. No. 060694 Art. VI(§§1 — 2), 6-6-1994; Ord. No. 08072023A, 8-7-2023]
A. 
The City will review the user charge system each year and revise user charge rates as necessary to ensure that the System generates adequate revenues to pay the costs of operation and maintenance, to pay principal of and interest on the revenue bonds, and to provide funds to meet the requirements of the bond ordinances, including replacement, and that the system continues to provide for the proportional distribution of operation and maintenance and replacement costs among users and user classes.
B. 
The City will communicate annual rates assessed for sewer charges through the City website.