A sewer user charge shall be levied on all users of the sewage collection and treatment facilities to cover the actual or estimated cost of operation, maintenance, replacement, and financing of these facilities. The user charge system shall distribute these costs to each user or user class in approximate proportion to such user’s contribution to the total wastewater loading of said facilities.
(Ord. 585 § 1, 1976)
The sewer user rates for each user or user class shall be based on the user’s contribution to the total wastewater loading of the treatment facilities in comparison to a standard equivalent user as defined in PMC 13.12.040. Each user or user class shall be assigned a number of equivalent users to be multiplied by a constant monthly cost factor to determine the basic user monthly rate. Special users contributing sewage of excessive flow and/or strength, for which the tabulated equivalent users below do not apply, shall be individually calculated as provided in PMC 13.12.080.
(Ord. 585 § 2, 1976)
One equivalent user shall be defined as contributing four hundred thirty-five gallons per day of wastewater containing not more than 0.70 pounds of five-day BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) and 0.70 pounds of suspended solids. The equivalent user flow has been developed from population and sewer usage records which indicate an average single dwelling unit has 3.5 people contributing one hundred twenty-five gallons per day per person. Standard engineering data indicates 0.20 pounds of five-day BOD and 0.20 pounds of suspended solids respectively per person per day. The basic equivalent user shall be subject to revision in population, water usage, sewage volume, and/or other information indicates flow and/or strength significantly different than defined in this section.
(Ord. 585 § 3, 1976)
The number of equivalent users to be assigned each user or user class shall be in accordance with the following equivalent user schedule. Assignment of equivalent users shall apply for one year until the next annual user charge review. Users so indicated or not included in this schedule shall be considered special users and shall be evaluated separately as provided in PMC 13.12.080. Where information indicates that the flow and/or strength of sewage contributed by any of the following users is excessive in comparison with the allowable limits provided in this section, then such user shall be considered a special user. A single user having more than one classification of use shall be the sum of the uses. The minimum quarterly sewer user charge shall be based on at least on equivalent user unless otherwise indicated below.
EQUIVALENT USER SCHEDULE
Classification
Equivalent Users
Assembly hall or lodge, no cafe
1.00
Bar or tavern
2.00
Barbershop, up to 3 chairs
1.00
Each additional chair
.50
Beauty shop, up to 3 stations
1.00
Each additional station
.50
Bowling alley
2.00
Cafe, including drive-in
2.00
Car wash, per stall or wash rack
1.50
Church
1.00
Garage or maintenance shop
1.00
Hospitals, up to 10 beds
4.00
Each additional bed
.50
Industrial, up to 20 employees,
 
for sanitary facilities
1.00
Each additional employee
.05
With industrial waste
Special
Laundromat, up to 10 washers 4.00
 
Each additional washer
.50
Laundry or cleaners, commercial
Special
Mobile home court or plaza, first unit
1.00
Each additional unit
.70
Motel, hotel or rooming house, first unit
1.00
Each additional unit
.25
Nursing homes, rest homes,
 
up to 10 beds
2.00
Each additional bed
.25
Office, store or business,
 
up to 20 employees
1.00
Each additional employee
.05
School, per student
.07
Service station
2.00
Single dwelling unit (residence, apartment or trailer)
1.00
Theater
1.00
Sewer user charges for service outside the city limits shall be the rate developed by the schedule multiplied by 1.50.
(Ord. 585 § 4, 1976)
Quarterly rates for all sewer users in the city shall be established by the council by resolution or minute entry and shall be listed on a schedule kept on file at all times in the office of the city clerk/treasurer. Said schedule of rates shall include all the various classifications of user, including special users, if any. The rate schedule may be added to or changed as provided in PMC 13.12.060 without necessity of amending the ordinance codified in this chapter, and shall be the effective rate schedule for sewer user charges thereafter.
(Ord. 585 § 10, 1976)
The quarterly rate for sewer services for the calendar year 2024 is set at $91.48. For the year 2010 and each year thereafter, the rate shall increase by the most recent National Average Consumer Price Index–Urban increase for the previous year. The rate for that year shall be rounded to the nearest amount which when divided by three yields a resultant of a multiple of twenty-five cents.
Annotation: With Ordinance 937, the city council resolved that the quarterly sewer availability rate is set at $30.50.
With Ordinance 937, the city council resolved that the sewer connection fee is set at $917.82.
(Ord. 770 § 1, 1999; Ord. 848 § 1, 2010; Ord. 854 § 1, 2011; Ord. 866 § 2, 2012; Ord. 870 § 3, 2013; Ord. 888 § 1, 2016; Ord. 905 § 2, 2018; Ord. 916 § 2, 2020; Ord. 923 § 2, 2021; Ord. 932 §§ 4, 7, 9, 2023; Ord. 937 § 1, 2024)
A. 
The sewer user charges, as based on the cost factor, shall, as a minimum, be reviewed annually and updated to reflect actual costs of operation, maintenance, replacement, and financing of the sewage collection and treatment facilities. Any revisions of the user charges shall be based on the following:
1. 
Actual operation, maintenance, replacement and financing expenses; and/or
2. 
On significant changes in the total number of equivalent users, the total daily flow, and the total daily BOD; and/or
3. 
The total daily suspended solids.
B. 
The city may install flow-measuring devices and/or collect wastewater samples at any time in any user’s service line to determine actual usages as a basis for revision of the user’s charge. Revisions due only to changed in expenses and user class shall be made by the city.
C. 
All changes in user charges applicable to this chapter shall be computed by the methods outlined in this chapter.
(Ord. 585 § 6, 1976)
Any sewer user who feels his user charge is unjust and inequitable as applied to his premises within the spirit and intent of the foregoing provisions of this chapter may make written application to the council requesting a review of his user charge. Said written request shall, where necessary, show the actual or estimated average flow and strength of his wastewater in comparison with the values upon which the charge is based, including how the measurements or estimates were made. Any flow measurements and/or testing of wastewater shall be approved in detail by the city and/or its engineer. Review of the request by the council shall determine if it is substantiated or not, including recommending further study of the matter for the city and/or user by a registered professional engineer.
(Ord. 585 § 7, 1976)
Each special user shall be evaluated separately based on the average flow, BOD (biochemical oxygen demand), and suspended solids characteristics of its wastewater contribution. The flow, BOD, and suspended solids loadings shall be determined from estimates or measurements and tests made by city officials or its engineer. The special user charge shall be based on a calculated equivalent user for flow, plus a surcharge for excessive strength, if any.
The special user’s quarterly charge shall be computed based on the classified industrial strength of the effluent being treated. Industrial users are evaluated initially by estimated concentrations on a given strength category (low, medium or high), where strength is a combined average of the user’s BOD and TSS in (mg/L). Each strength category is assigned a limit and corresponding fee rate as follows:
A. 
Low – Less than or equal to one thousand mg/L at $0.08/cubic foot of effluent.
B. 
Medium – Between one thousand mg/L and one thousand five hundred mg/L at $0.10/cubic foot of effluent.
C. 
High – Greater than one thousand five hundred mg/L at $0.12/cubic foot of effluent.
A copy of the list of special users, the characteristics of their sewage, and the special user’s monthly charge shall be kept on file at all times in the office of the city clerk.
(Ord. 585 § 5, 1976; Ord. 897, 2018)
A. 
The constant monthly cost factor per equivalent user shall be determined and set by the city so as to provide sufficient revenue to offset the estimated or actual sewage collection and treatment facilities budget for operation, maintenance, replacement, and financing. Said cost factor shall be determined by dividing the monthly sewer budget by the total average equivalent users on the system.
B. 
A copy of the current annual sewer budget shall be kept on file at all times in the office of the city clerk/treasurer.
(Ord. 585 § 9, 1976)
A. 
For new construction, the sewer user charge shall begin when the service connection has been inspected and approved, or when the building being served has been substantially completed, whichever is the later date.
B. 
All sewer users shall pay a user charge for their premises even though vacant or unoccupied, unless such user has his water service shut off, at which time the sewer user charge shall cease until the water is turned on again.
(Ord. 585 § 8, 1976)