City of Parsons, KS Rates and Charges

For new water service connections the Department shall provide meters, meter boxes and lids, meter yokes, and connections necessary to serve the premises and shall charge therefor a service charge equal to the cost of the meters, meter boxes and lids, meter yokes, and necessary connections. Said charge will be determined by the City Manager and paid to the Department before water is furnished to the customer.

§ 580-33 Water meter testing.

The amount of water consumed shall be determined by a standard water meter. If the customer questions the accuracy of the meter supplying his premises the Department shall, upon request of the consumer, cause an official test to be made. The consumer shall be notified of the time and place of such test and may be present if he so desires. Should the meter be found to register more than 2% in excess of the actual quantity of water passing through it, no charge shall be made to the consumer for the test, but if the meter is found to be registering less than 2% in excess of the actual quantity of water passing through it the consumer shall pay to the Department the sum of $15.

§ 580-34 Wastewater rates.

[Last amended 10-2-2023 by Ord. No. 6545]

The monthly rates required to be charged and collected for wastewater services furnished by the Wastewater Department of said City shall be as follows:

(1)

Services within the City limits:

Volume	Rate
Monthly minimum charge for 0 to 1,500 gallons	$17.50
Monthly minimum charge for over 1,500 gallons	$18
All water used over month minimum, per 750 gallons	$5.75

(2)

Services outside the City limits:

Volume	Rate
Monthly minimum charge for 0 to 1,500 gallons	$35
Monthly minimum charge for over 1,500 gallons	$36
All water used over month minimum, per 750 gallons	$11.50

Charges to residential customers for January to December will be based on the average water usage for the months of October and November of the previous year. All nonresidential customers shall be charged according to monthly water usage. New customers will be charged based on monthly water usage until an average has been established.

For those contributors who contribute wastewater, the strength of which is greater than the upper limit of normal domestic sewage, a surcharge in addition to the normal use charge will be collected as follows:

(1)

Surcharge:

$0.0740 per pound of BOD in excess of 500 mg/l

$0.0346 per pound of SS in excess of 500 mg/l

(2)

The user charge portion of the surcharge is as follows:

$0.0539 per pound in excess of 500 mg/l

$0.0273 per pound of SS in excess of 500 mg/l

§ 580-34.1 Sewer improvement fee.

[Added 6-18-2012 by Ord. No. 6260; last amended 8-15-2016 by Ord. No. 6374]

There is hereby assessed against all individual sanitary sewer accounts within the City a monthly sewer improvement fee in the amount of $15 in addition to the normal monthly sanitary sewer charge as calculated per § 580-34 of the Parsons City Code. The owner, occupant and any person who is responsible for the payment of sewer services per account shall all be jointly and severally responsible for the payment of said fee. Any individual sanitary sewer accounts for property outside the City limits shall be assessed the same fifteen-dollar fee per account in addition to their regular monthly sanitary sewer bill except that any sewer benefit district being served by the City of Parsons shall be assessed the fee in the amount of $15 multiplied by the number of properties being served by the sewer benefit district. Said fee shall be assessed each month.

The monthly sewer improvement fee set forth above shall be included as part of the monthly bill for sanitary sewer services of the City, but shall be identified separately on said billing. Said fee shall be due at the same time as water and/or other utility services of the City are due and the failure to pay said fee shall be considered a failure to pay utility services of the City and enforceable pursuant to related provisions of the City's Code of Ordinances. In addition, any time utility services of the City are established, or re-established for an account owner, all fees hereunder shall be paid current as of the date such service is established or re-established.

Said monthly fee shall commence and be assessed after December 1, 2016, and continue indefinitely until repealed by ordinance.

§ 580-35 Wastewater system connections.

[Amended 12-16-1985 by Ord. No. 5389]

The following fees are hereby established for connections to the wastewater system:

For premises inside the City limits.

(1)

For a one-inch meter or less the connection fee shall be $500.

(2)

For any connection using over a one-inch meter the fee shall be $1,000.

For premises outside the City limits.

(1)

For a one-inch meter or less the connection fee shall be $500.

(2)

For any connection using over a one-inch meter the fee shall be $1,000.

§ 580-36 Special connection service charge.

The fee which shall be paid to the City for new service connections to the City's water and wastewater system shall be as follows:

(1)

There shall be no charge if the work is to be performed during regular working hours.

(2)

Twenty dollars if the work is to be performed after regular working hours.

Such fee shall be in addition to all other fees.

§ 580-37 Discontinuance of service; reconnection.

[Amended 5-16-2005 by Ord. No. 6041[1]; 5-2-2022 by Ord. No. 6519]

In case of any unpaid bill against the property for any customer for water and/or wastewater service, connection fees, or other merchandise or services, or should the customer or property owner tamper with any water main, water meter, or wastewater line or make any unauthorized connection to the water or wastewater systems or allow more than one premises to be furnished with water or wastewater service from one connection, or in the event of any violation by the customer or said property owner of the ordinances, rules and regulations of the City relating to the water and wastewater systems, service may be discontinued without notice and the following charges, in addition to the bill, must be collected before the water is again turned on:

Reconnection fee.

(1)

During regular working hours: $25.

(2)

After regular working hours: $40.

(3)

The above fee shall double in the event a customer has been shut off in the previous six months.

The reconnection fee due to the removal of the meter for nonpayment and unauthorized turn-on of water service after termination by the Department shall be as follows:

(1)

During regular working hours: $50.

(2)

After regular working hours: $80.

(3)

The above fee shall double in the event a customer has been shut off in the previous six months.

[1]

Editor's Note: Section 4 of Ord. No. 6041 provided as follows: "The fees in this ordinance may be changed by action of the governing body taken at a regularly scheduled commission meeting."

§ 580-38 Connection fees and service deposits.

[Amended 9-16-1991 by Ord. No. 5573A; 5-16-2005 by Ord. No. 6041[1]; 5-2-2022 by Ord. No. 6519]

Connection fees.

(1)

Prior to furnishing water and/or wastewater service to a residential or commercial unit, the consumer shall pay a connection fee of $25 to cover the cost associated with the connection of said services. This fee is charged for each residential meter and each commercial meter.

(2)

When transferring water and/or wastewater services from one location to another location the consumer will pay a connection fee of $25 to cover the cost associated with the transfer of said service. This fee is charged for each residential meter and each commercial meter.

Service deposit.

(1)

Any time a consumer connects to a meter larger than one inch the consumer may be required to furnish a letter or credit or a service deposit in the amount of 1 1/2 times the reasonably estimated monthly consumption.

(2)

A residential consumer who has been repeatedly (two or more times in a twelve-month period) disconnected for nonpayment may be required at the discretion of the Utility Office Manager to post a residential service deposit in the amount of $30 per residential unit to insure payment of the bill before service is reconnected.

(3)

A commercial consumer who has been repeatedly (two or more times in a twelve-month period) disconnected for nonpayment may be required at the discretion of the Utility Office Manager to post a commercial service deposit in the amount of 1 1/2 times the normal monthly bill to insure payment of the bill before service is reconnected.

(4)

Service deposits will be returned at the end of 24 months, provided that the consumer has not been disconnected for nonpayment of a bill.

(5)

A service deposit requirement will be in additional to the connection fee.

[1]

Editor's Note: Section 4 of Ord. No. 6041 provided as follows: "The fees in this ordinance may be changed by action of the governing body taken at a regularly scheduled commission meeting."

§ 580-39 Monthly billing; payment; delinquent bills.

All water meters shall be read and bills for water and/or wastewater service shall be rendered monthly. All bills shall be due and payable at the business office of the Department during regular business hours. If the bill shall remain unpaid after the 17th day following the rendition of the bill an additional 5% shall be added thereto. If any bill shall remain unpaid by the 25th day following the rendition of the bill water service to such consumer shall be disconnected and shall not be reconnected until all past due bills for water and/or wastewater service are paid in full, plus the reconnection fee.

§ 580-40 Property owner liable for bills.

All property owners shall be liable for all bills contracted by themselves, their agents, or their tenants for water and/or wastewater services provided to the premises which they own.

§ 580-41 Insufficient check fee.

[Added 5-16-2005 by Ord. No. 6041[1]]

Any time a consumer's check is returned from the bank as insufficient funds a service charge of $25 will be added to the account. The consumer is required to present cash for payment of the insufficient fund check and the service charge.

[1]

Editor's Note: Section 4 of Ord. No. 6041 provided as follows: "The fees in this ordinance may be changed by action of the governing body taken at a regularly scheduled commission meeting."