The Town of North Beach has established various
fees and user charges for the use of its water and sewer facilities.
Under this section, a description has been provided of each of the
fees or charges. Appendix A[1] contains the schedule of the current established amounts
for each of the fees or charges. The Town will, from time to time,
alter the amounts of the various fees and charges to meet its budgetary
needs to provide sewer and water service.
[1]
Editor's Note: Appendix A is on file in the
Town offices.
A.
Capital connection charge: This is a one-time charge
that the Town will collect prior to initiating water and/or sewer
service. This fee must be paid at the time of application for service.
There will be no capital connection charge assessed on residential
properties developed prior to 1989.
B.
Connection fee: This is a one-time charge to reimburse
the Town. The cost shall include pipe, excavation, backfill, road
repairs, cleanout, meter, meter pit, curb stop and box and all necessary
services to make the lateral installation. At the time of application,
the Town will estimate the cost of the connection fee. The applicant
will pay to the Town the full estimated cost of the connection prior
to the permit being issued. After the Town has completed the connection,
any amount of the estimated connection fee in excess of the actual
cost to the Town will be returned to the applicant. Similarly, any
actual costs in excess of the estimated connection fee must be paid
by the applicant.
C.
Security deposit: A security deposit may be required.
It will be returned to or credited to the owner's account by the Town,
without interest, when, at the discretion of the Town, the applicant
has established a record of prompt payment of charges for water or
sewer service (normally after one year).
D.
Front-foot benefit charge: In those instances where
the Town or others install new water or sewer mains, the Town may
assess the property owners whose property adjoins the new facilities
on a front-foot basis. The front-foot assessment will be based on
factors such as cost of installation, number of users benefiting,
sizes and shapes of properties which adjoin the new water and/or sewer
facilities and other factors which the Town deems appropriate at the
time the new facilities are installed.
Major items for which user charges are necessary
include labor for operation and maintenance of the sewage treatment
and water supply facilities, pumping stations, water mains, force
mains and sewers; cost of chemicals; power costs; administrative,
engineering and legal costs and the cost of preparing and mailing
bills. Unless otherwise provided for, user charges for potable water
will be a function of the amount of water consumed through the water
meter. All water passing through a meter shall be made for excessive
consumption due to leaks or waste. User charges for sewer service
will be a function of a percentage of the amount of water consumed
through the water meter, thereby allowing for a percentage of water
used that does not enter the sewage disposal system. Such percentage
shall be as established by the Town.
A.
Reinspection: When the Town must reinspect any private
sewer or water facilities after the initial inspection, a reinspection
fee may be charged to the property owner.
B.
Flat rate for sewer service: In instances where sewer
service is provided without benefit of water metering records, the
Town will set a flat-rate user charge based on other factors such
as fixture units, number of occupants, etc.
D.
Temporary discontinuance of water service: When requested
by the property owner, the Town will temporarily turn off water service
and turn it back on for a flat fee. The water will not be turned on
unless the customer's account is paid in full at the time restart
of service is requested. During the period when the water service
is discontinued at the property owner's request, the owner will still
be responsible for the payment of minimum water and sewer use fees,
as well as sewer user benefit fees.
E.
Private fire hydrant: The Town will install a fire hydrant on private property for a fee to be billed yearly. No water, other than that needed for fire fighting purposes, shall be taken from the hydrant without benefit of being metered. See Subsection F.
F.
Temporary water: Temporary water service for construction
or other uses shall be taken from fire hydrants or other taps on the
Town water system through a meter to be provided by the Town. A deposit
is required for the use of a portable meter that will be required
in this instance.
G.
Sprinkler service: For buildings with sprinkler systems,
the owner will pay a flat quarterly or monthly fee. If water is consumed
off the same supply pipe that is used for the sprinkler system, then
the owner must install a detector check valve to be used in conjunction
with the Town's supply meter.
H.
Storm drainage penalty: A penalty shall be assessed
for discharging rainwater or groundwater into the Town's sanitary
system.
I.
Turn-on charge: When water has been turned off from
any premises for the nonpayment of bill or for any other violation
of the Town's rules and regulations, a charge payable in advance will
be made before again turning on the water.
All meter readings and billings are on a quarterly
basis, except that meter readings and billings for commercial, institutional
or industrial customers may be made on a monthly basis at the option
of the Town. Billing for meter reading will be effective on the date
of installation of the meter.
Any water or sewer bills that remain unpaid
after 30 days shall be assessed an additional interest penalty of
1 1/2% per month cumulative on the unpaid balance. In addition,
the Town reserves the right to discontinue service to any customer
who has an unpaid account balance beyond 30 days.
All charges and rates outlined above constitute
a lien on the real estate served, collectable in the same manner as
Town taxes by legal action. All costs incurred by the Town, including
reasonable attorney fees to collect overdue accounts, shall become
the responsibility of the property owner.
The Town will presume service is being rendered
from the time the water is turned on, at the request of the customer,
until said customer gives notice to the Town to discontinue the service.
Any customer obtaining water or sewer service
outside the Town limits, and which customer is not covered by any
existing inter-municipal service agreement, shall pay fees and rates
listed times 150%.
The Town may permit, at its discretion, a temporary
exemption from the front-foot benefit charge for all or any portion
of property temporarily unsuitable for improvement because of inadequate
depth of sewer, inadequate depth of the property, or any other unusual
shape or circumstance.
A schedule of front-foot benefit charges may
be revised and adopted from time to time by the Town to reflect any
adjustments to the capital expenditures to the system. A schedule
of user charges may be revised and adopted from time to time by the
Town.
The Town reserves the right to increase or decrease
any of the charges and rates based on the results of its operating
and maintenance experience as well as its requirement to produce revenue
for debt service, depreciation, and other necessary and proper expenses
and reserves.
