99.01 SEWER SERVICE CHARGES REQUIRED.
Every customer shall pay to the City sewer service fees as hereinafter provided.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 384.84)
Municipal Code
Chapter 99 – Sewer Service Charges
Regulations governing sewer service charge requirements, rates, special rates, exemptions, private water systems, payment of bills, variances and relief, liens for nonpayment, and special agreements for the City's sanitary sewer system.
Chapter 99
Sewer Service Charges
Chapter Contents
99.01 Sewer Service Charges Required
99.06 Payment of Bills
99.02 Rate
99.07 Variances and Relief
99.03 Special Rates
99.08 Lien for Nonpayment
99.04 Service Charge Exemption
99.09 Special Agreements Permitted
99.05 Private Water Systems
99.02 RATE.
Each customer shall pay sewer service charges for the use of and for the service supplied by the municipal sanitary sewer system in accordance with the following:
1. Basic Service Charge. A monthly minimum service charge of:
A. $23.40 for each residential premise
B. $23.40 for each commercial premise
C. $35.10 for each nonresident premise (resident not located within the City limits)
2. Usage Charge. A usage charge of $7.02 per 1,000 gallons of water consumed each month, except with regard to the car wash operation located at northern ½ of Lots 1 & 2 BLK 5 Corp. Lenox, a charge of $7.02 per 1,000 gallons of water consumed, less 25% each month shall apply.
(Ord. 377 – Nov. 17 Supp.)
99.03 SPECIAL RATES.
Where, in the judgment of the Superintendent and the Council, special conditions exist to the extent that the application of the sewer charges provided in Section 99.02 would be inequitable or unfair to either the City or the customer, a special rate shall be proposed by the Superintendent and submitted to the Council for approval by resolution.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 384.84)
99.04 SERVICE CHARGE EXEMPTION.
A customer may add a separate water meter to measure water that is not discharged into the public sewer system. The additional meter must be installed in accordance with regulations established by the Utility Board. Upon approved installation, the sewer service charge shall not apply to all water measured through such meter. However, a customer shall be liable for sewer service charges on all such separately metered water, retroactive from the date of installation of the meter, if it is found that any such water was discharged into the public sewer system.
99.05 PRIVATE WATER SYSTEMS.
Customers whose premises are served by a private water system shall pay sewer charges based upon the water used as determined by the City either by an estimate agreed to by the customer or by metering the water system at the customer's expense. Any negotiated, or agreed upon sales or charges shall be subject to approval of the Council.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 384.84)
99.06 PAYMENT OF BILLS.
All sewer service charges are due and payable under the same terms and conditions as payment for water, electric and cable service as established by the Utility Board of Trustees. To the extent that the sewer service charges are billed as part of a combined service account, utility services may be discontinued if the account becomes delinquent.
99.07 VARIANCES AND RELIEF.
Per the policy of the Lenox Municipal Utilities Board of Trustees:
The billing for any meter may be appealed to the Board of Trustees for relief. If relief is granted the bill will be adjusted by charging the average price the customer has been paying in the previous quarter, plus the first twenty five dollars and fifty cents ($25.50) of the average and the entire bill over this amount will be reduced by fifty percent (50%). Relief for accidental wastage will only be granted one (1) time in any twelve (12) month period.
1. In the event that accidental wastage of water enters the sanitary sewer system, and should the Board of Trustees move to provide relief, the applicant's sewer bill will be amended to reflect the above formula for the same month, at the applicant's request.
2. In the event that accidental wastage of water does not enter the sanitary sewer system, and should the Board of Trustees move to provide relief, the applicant's sewer bill will be adjusted by charging the average price the customer has been paying over the previous quarter, at the applicant's request. Sewer relief for accidental wastage will only be granted one (1) time in any twelve (12) month period.
3. In extraordinary circumstances, a measureable quantity of water may be billed to sewer over an extended period of time and yet never enter the sewage treatment system, such as in the case of a faulty or non-existent meter for water entering a system which does not result in sewage (for example, irrigation or a cooling tower). In these rare cases, the customer may appeal to the City Council for a variance on the sewer bill. The applicant must be able to submit estimates for the water which did not enter the sewer system. If a variance is granted the bill for the period covered by the variance will be adjusted by using the estimated sewer usage for the previous three months as submitted by the applicant. The applicant will then receive a credit on his or her bill reflecting the difference between the amount paid and the amount calculated by estimated usage. The period of the variance shall not exceed one year, and the credit on the account will be divided over a number of months equal to the variance period. Such a variance will only be granted one (1) time in any five (5) year period.
(Ord. 358 – Sep. 13 Supp.)
99.08 LIEN FOR NONPAYMENT.
The owner of the premises served and any lessee or tenant thereof shall be jointly, and severally liable for sewer service charges to the premises. Sewer service charges remaining unpaid and delinquent shall constitute a lien upon the premises served and shall be certified to the County Treasurer for collection in the same manner as property taxes.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 384.84)
99.09 SPECIAL AGREEMENTS PERMITTED.
No statement in these chapters shall be construed as preventing a special agreement, arrangement or contract between the Council, and any industrial concern whereby an industrial waste of unusual strength or character may be accepted subject to special conditions, rate and cost as established by the Council.
( 99.08 & 99.09 renumbered by Ord. 358 – Sep. 13 Supp.)