A.
General. Service rates and fees to be charged for the wastewater service shall be as set forth in Section 3.12.100(E) and shall be adequate, except in cases of emergency, to provide for administration, engineering and legal expenses, system operations and maintenance expenses; debt service requirements; funding for replacement of reserve accounts and system improvement projects.
B.
Retail Wastewater Rates.
1.
A general retail wastewater rate shall be assessed on all users of the city’s wastewater system pursuant to the utility fee and rate schedule established in Section 3.12.100(E) for wastewater service.
2.
Winter billings shall be calculated on the billings for the months of November through May based on the amount of actual domestic water usage provided to the customer and shall be calculated based on domestic water meter readings and computed to the nearest one hundred cubic feet.
3.
Summer billings for the months of June through October for residential customers shall be based on the previous seven-month average of winter domestic water usage by the customer.
4.
In the event the customer was not connected to a public water supply that utilizes a domestic water meter, the flow shall be determined by the utility based on the average flow of the like customer class.
C.
Wholesale Wastewater Service. The utility may receive and convey wastewater from adjacent wastewater districts and other public agencies that have been organized pursuant to the laws of the state. Such service shall be through a wholesale contract, under such terms and conditions as shall be deemed fair and equitable by the city. All wholesale wastewater contracts shall be subject to city council approval.
D.
Bulk Transport Disposal Services. The utility shall levy charges for disposal of bulk-transported wastes from mobile tanks into the utility wastewater system pursuant to the utility fee and rate schedule established in Section 3.12.100(E)(3) for disposal services.
E.
Low Income Seniors and Disabled Citizens.
1.
Low income senior citizens and low income disabled citizens who live in a residence served directly by water and/or sewer facilities of the city of Poulsbo and who pay the water/sewer bill directly to the city may qualify for a discount.
2.
For the purposes of this section, “low income senior citizen” means a person who has attained the age of sixty-two years and whose total income from all sources, including that of his or her spouse, does not exceed forty-eight thousand dollars annually. For purposes of this section, “low income disabled citizen” means a person whose total income from all sources, including that of his or her spouse, does not exceed forty-eight thousand dollar annually, and who is (a) a person qualifying for special parking privileges under RCW 46.19.010(1)(a) through (j); or (b) a blind person as defined in RCW 74.18.020; or (c) a disabled, handicapped, or incapacitated person as defined under any other state or federal program. The income threshold shall be adjusted by same percentage as the annual rate adjustments in accordance with Section 13.70.620.
3.
All persons claiming the discount provided for in this section shall first be required to file an application with the city of Poulsbo finance department to initiate the reduction. The application shall be on forms prescribed by the finance director and shall provide information by which the finance director may verify the applicant’s eligibility to participate. Applicants shall be required to submit such additional information as may be required by the finance director to verify eligibility. In order to stay eligible for the program, an applicant must recertify their eligibility every twelve months. If the city determines that the applicant is ineligible for the reduction, the applicant will be notified by the city.
4.
If an applicant moves from the residence to which the service is provided, or otherwise becomes ineligible for the reduced rate, the applicant shall be required to notify the finance department immediately.
5.
If false information is submitted to the city in connection with any application for a reduced utility rate, the applicant will automatically become ineligible to receive any future discounts and any discounts or reductions already given shall be fully repaid to the city, together with a penalty in the amount of one hundred percent of the repayment amount. This remedy shall be in addition to any other remedies the city may have for the giving of false information.
F.
Wastewater Connection Penalty. Failure to physically hook up to the city’s wastewater system when service is available within two hundred feet of the property owner’s residence or facility as measured along the public rights-of-way or dedicated utility easements shall result in a monthly penalty as set forth in the utility fee and rate schedule established in Section 3.12.100(E)(4) for wastewater service.
G.
Inflow and Infiltration of Stormwater. Illegal hookups or excess infiltration to the city wastewater system as determined by the city shall result in a monthly additional wastewater charge for estimated flow in excess of metered potable water. When an illegal hookup of roof drains or excess infiltration is found to exist, the public works director shall notify the property owner immediately that corrective action is required and shall require that this corrective action be accomplished within sixty days. If no corrective action is accomplished within sixty days, the public works director shall estimate the amount of unauthorized flow and the city shall bill the property owner an additional monthly charge for service pursuant to the utility fee and rate schedule established in Section 3.12.100(E) for wastewater service.
(Ord. 2002-29 § 2 (part), 2002; Ord. 2003-16 § 32 (part), 2003; Ord. 2005-17 § 1 (part), 2005; Ord. 2010-10 § 1 (part), 2010; Ord. 2015-02 § 1 (part), 2015; Ord. 2015-03 § 1, 2015; Ord. 2024-15 § 2 (Att. A), 2024)