The purpose of this article is to establish and impose sewer rents for all users of the sewer system of the Village of New Paltz, pursuant to the authority vested in the Village by § 452 of the General Municipal Law of the State of New York.
This article shall be known and may be cited as the "Sewer Rent Law of the Village of New Paltz."
[Amended 6-15-2005 by L.L. No. 4-2005; 8-22-2007 by L.L. No. 8-2007; 10-10-2012 by L.L. No. 11-2012]
A. 
User charge system established. In addition to any other fees or charges provided by law, the owner or occupant of any parcel of real property located within or without the incorporated boundaries of the Village of New Paltz who contributes sewage to the Village sanitary sewerage system shall pay a sewer rent or charge for use of the sewer system. For the purpose of this action, such owner or occupant shall be referred to as a "user."
B. 
Sewer user classifications. Sewer user classifications are hereby established to insure that the users of the Village sewerage system pay their proportionate share of the operation and maintenance (including replacement) costs of the Village sewerage system and sewage treatment facility. Rates are set to encourage and foster conservation of water usage and infrastructure resources among the highest-volume users, who have the greatest impact on the system as a whole, and who have the greatest ability to implement efficiencies to conserve water and lessen overall system degradation. The sewer-user classifications are hereby established and defined as follows:
(1) 
Municipal water users; being any metered water user within the Village regardless of classification.
(2) 
Residential water user; any metered unit used primarily as a living facility within the Village.
(3) 
Residential nonmunicipal water user; any metered unit provided water by the Village used primarily as a living facility outside the Village.
(4) 
Industrial users; privately owned metered users primarily in the activity of either manufacturing or materials processing.
(5) 
Commercial water users; privately owned metered users primarily in the provision or distribution of a product or service.
(6) 
Institutional users; being a public facility dedicated to public service, including but not limited to schools, governmental buildings, hospitals, and nursing homes.
C. 
Municipal water users. For any such property supplied with water from the municipal water supply system, the sewer rental charges shall be as follows:
Rate per Gallon per Quarter
Number of Gallons
Village
Town
Minimum (up to 4,000)
$17.50
$26.25
4,001 to 50,000
$0.004375
$0.006563
50,001 to 100,000
$0.004813
$0.007219
100,001 to 200,000
$0.005294
$0.007941
200,001 to 400,000
$0.005823
$0.008735
400,001 to 750,000
$0.006405
$0.009608
750,001 and above
$0.007046
$0.010569
Rate per Cubic Feet per Quarter
Number of Cubic Feet
Village
Town
Minimum (up to 500)
$17.50
$26.25
501 to 7,000
$0.035000
$0.052500
7,001 to 15,000
$0.038500
$0.057750
15,001 to 25,000
$0.042350
$0.063525
25,001 to 50,000
$0.046585
$0.069878
50,001 to 100,000
$0.051244
$0.076865
100,001 and above
$0.056368
$0.084552
(1) 
Users outside the Village. The meter charge to consumers outside the Village limits whose water service is not provided under an agreement with the Town of New Paltz shall be at the rate of 150% of the Village rate as set forth herein. Those properties to which water service is provided shall, by accepting such service, consent to the attachment of a tax lien against the property for nonpayment of any amount due under this provision.
(2) 
Residential nonmunicipal water users. For any property not supplied with water by the Village water supply system, the amount of sewer rent shall be no less than that rate as set forth herein. Each user shall install an outflow meter to monitor the sewage outflow.
(3) 
Industrial and commercial municipal water users. For industrial and commercial properties supplied with water from the Village water supply system, the amount of the sewer rent shall be as set forth herein. As an alternative, the Village may enter into a contract with such user to charge at a rate based upon the domestic flow or properly pretreated large or industrial flow according to a formula established by said contract, based on the user's proportionate contribution to the total wastewater load from all users and user classes. The rates and charges in such agreement would be determined by such factors as the strength, volume and delivery flow-rate characteristics of the users.
(4) 
Industrial pretreatment shall be required for industrial users.
A. 
All sewer rents shall be paid to the Village Clerk-Treasurer quarterannually on the first days of March, June, September, and December in each year. In the event of failure to pay on the due date, a penalty of 5% of the amount of the sewer rent shall be added for the first month or portion thereof and an additional 0.5% for each month thereafter or portion of such default in payment.
B. 
If bills remain unpaid 60 days after they become due, the water supply may be cut off in the same manner and procedure as for nonpayment of water bills and will not be turned on again until all charges are paid and until payment, in addition thereto, of the charges for turning off and on the water. No claim for damage or rebate shall be allowed by reason of the water being shut off.
C. 
Sewer rents shall constitute a lien upon the real property for which they have been established and imposed. Pursuant to General Municipal Law § 452, Subdivision 3, the lien shall be prior and superior to every other lien or claim except the lien of an existing tax, assessment, or other lawful charge imposed by or for the state or a political subdivision or district thereof. Delinquent sewer rents may also be enforced in the same manner provided for collection of water rents in § 207-13 of this Municipal Code.
As used in this article, the "sewer system" for which the sewer rents are established shall mean and include all pipes and other appurtenances used in whole or in part in connection with the collection, treatment or disposal of sewage, industrial wastes and other wastes and which are owned, operated or maintained by the Village of New Paltz and shall also include any sewage pumping stations and sewage treatment or disposal works which may hereafter be constructed.
All revenues derived from sewer rents shall be credited to a special fund, to be known as the “Sewer Rent Fund,” and shall be used for the purposes and in the manner provided under Article 14F of the General Municipal Law.