Pursuant to the general laws of the state and the powers of the city under its Charter, the council declares its intention to acquire, own, construct, equip, operate and maintain, within and without the city limits, sewerage equipment and appurtenances necessary, useful, or convenient for a complete sewerage system, and to provide for the maintenance and extension of the same and its reconstruction as may be deemed necessary or proper by the council.
(Code 2000 § 5.105)
There is hereby levied and imposed upon all water users from the Cornelius water system inside the city as now or hereafter bounded, and also upon premises within the city as now or hereafter bounded served by sewer, either or both, just and equitable charges for service or subsequent service, maintenance, operation, extension, and reconstruction, to establish funds for sewer purposes, and to be used as hereinafter provided, except such water users situated below the grade for sewer service or inaccessible to it as the sewer may be built or hereafter installed.
(Code 2000 § 5.110)
Sewer charges for connection to, provision and maintenance of sewerage services within the city shall be established from time to time by resolution of the council.
(Ord. 597 § 3, 1982; Code 2000 § 5.115)
The water department of the city is hereby directed to collect the rates and charges provided for herein from each user of the sewerage facilities or of water from the city water system, and all charges shall be shown on the regular monthly water bill, followed by the symbol "SC." Said charges, as and when collected by the water department, shall be paid to the treasurer of the city and placed into a fund designated as "Sewer Charge Account, Special." The water department may withhold amounts equivalent to administrative costs for sewer collections.
(Code 2000 § 5.120)
The water department may enforce the collection of rates and charges for use of sewage facilities by withholding delivery of water to any premises the sewage facility rates for which are delinquent, and may use such other and further means of collection thereof as may be provided by the laws of the state, or permitted by the Charter, this code and ordinances of the city, including certification to the tax assessor of Washington County, in the manner provided by law. Rates and charges for sewage facilities as herein provided shall be collected monthly; and if not paid on or before 15 days from and after the date of billing, the rates and charges shall be deemed to be delinquent. Any charge due which is not paid when due may be recovered in an action at law by the city.
(Code 2000 § 5.125)
In the event that it becomes necessary to undertake collection procedures, or to certify the service charges established because of nonpayment, there shall be added to the charges a penalty in the amount of 10 percent, and the same shall bear, when the action is brought or the collection procedure undertaken or the certification made, interest at the rate of eight percent per annum from the date of delinquency. If court action is brought to collect delinquent service charges, the same penalties and interest charges above set out shall apply.
(Code 2000 § 5.130)
The city treasurer, upon receipt of funds from the water department, is hereby directed to credit all revenue received from such charges and rates collected to a fund designated "Sewer Charge Account, Special." Thereafter, the council, by resolution or motion duly adopted, shall from time to time and not less than once each fiscal year, direct the treasurer to transfer and pay from said account funds as follows:
(A) 
Funds to cover the costs of operating the sewer system and disposal plant.
(B) 
Funds for the payment of principal and interest on maturing sewer bonds.
(C) 
Funds to be added to create and add to a sinking fund to meet future interest and principal obligations on sewer bonds.
(Code 2000 § 5.135)