2013-0415
INTRODUCED BY: V. J. ST. PIERRE, JR., PARISH PRESIDENT
(DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS)
ORDINANCE NO. ___________
Title
An ordinance to amend the Code of Ordinances, Chapter 22 Sewer and Sewerage Disposal Article IV to amend Section 80, User Charges and Connection Charges.
Body
WHEREAS, Ordinance 85-8-8, amended by Ordinance 01-1-1, set forth that all persons connected into the Parish wastewater system enjoy a twenty percent (20%) reduction in sewer/wastewater charges on their water bill. This deduction was to compensate users for water consumed but, which did not enter the wastewater system to be treated (i.e. watering lawns, washing cars, etc.); and,
WHEREAS, 2nd Residential Meters for Irrigation were obtained, in addition to the Residential Meter, for the external consumption of water and have no charges other than the consumption of water since no water enters the wastewater system; and,
WHEREAS, with the use of a 2nd Residential Meters for Irrigation the entire water consumption from the Residential Meters enters the wastewater system for treatment; therefore the Parish believes that the 20% deduction currently in effect should be removed for those persons where a 2nd Residential Meters for Irrigation is being used in conjunction with a Residential Meters; and,
WHEREAS, a non-domestic waste program has been established to monitor and limit the amount of non-domestic waste being introduced into the sanitary sewer system and contained therein are fees, non-domestic user charges, and surcharge limits detailed in this ordinance.
THE ST. CHARLES PARISH COUNCIL HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION I. That the Code of Ordinances be amended by replacing Section 22-80 with the below language:
Sec. 22-80. User charges and connection charges.
(1) Determination of charges: The rates and charges for the use of the sewerage collection, treatment and disposal services of the parish, for each and every residence, commercial or industrial establishment now or hereafter connected to the parish treatment facilities, shall be in accordance with the following:
(a) Volume rate charge: To cover the cost of operation and maintenance, and where necessary, capital improvements to the wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal system, a volume rate user charge is hereby established at $5.06 (80 percent of $5.06 equals $4.05) per 1,000 gallons of water use on June 1, 2001; $5.13 (80 percent of $5.13 equals $4.10) per 1,000 gallons of water use on January 1, 2002.
Effective July 1, 2004 and annually thereafter the then current base and volume rate charges shall be adjusted by an independent auditor based on the actual cost of operation of the sewer system for the previous year by totaling all operating expenses as reported on the enterprise funds combining statement of revenues, expenses and changes in retained earnings for the preceding financial reporting period and subtracting annual depreciation on plant and equipment with an estimated useful life of twenty (20) years or more, adding all legally required non-operating expenditures such as bond sinking fund transfers, and adding an estimated fifteen (15) percent operating residual as calculated in the 2000 Consolidated Waterworks and Wastewater Sewer User Rate Study prepared by Gulf South Engineers.
The user charges stated above were established based on the formula Ca = Ct/Vt where:
Ca = Annual user charge rate.
Ct = Total annual O, M, and R costs.
Vt = Total annual volume.
(b) Calculation of bills for Residential users
(1). Residential Users
(a). Billing period charges for each account shall be calculated as follows:
(Wu × Ur × 80%) + 3.00 = Uc
Where:
Wu = Water use in 1,000's of gallons during the billing period as determined by Parish's Department of Waterworks.
Ur = User charge rate in dollars per 1,000 gallons of use.
Uc = Billing period sewer use charge.
80% = The percentage of water usage which enters the wastewater system
The minimum monthly charge for all users shall be three dollars ($3.00).
(b) Residences with a 2nd Residential Meter for Irrigation. Those users who use a 2nd Residential Meter for Irrigation for the external consumption of water which does not enter the wastewater system, the billing period charges for the Residential Meter account shall be calculated as follows:
(Wu × Ur) + 3.00 = Uc
Where:
Wu = Water use in 1,000's of gallons during the billing period as determined by the Parish's Department of Waterworks.
Ur = User charge rate in dollars per 1,000 gallons of use.
Uc = Billing period sewer use charge.
The minimum monthly charge for all users shall be three dollars ($3.00).
(2) Calculation of bills for Industrial Users and Commercial Users. All billing period charges for standard meter account shall be calculated as in Sec 22-80.(1).(b).(1).(b). above.
(c) Consumptive use: Where an industrial or commercial user can establish to the satisfaction of the parish that a significant amount of water is diverted to consumptive uses, or otherwise diverted so as not to enter the parish sewer system, the parish may, at its discretion, allow the user to install and maintain, at his own expense, a sewage flow meter and shall be assessed a user charge based on the following formula:
Sf × Ur = Uc
Where:
Sf = Actual metered sewage flow.
Ur = User charge rate in dollars per 1,000 gallons of use.
Uc = Billing period sewer use charge.
The parish may, if deemed appropriate, make provisions for a special handling charge to be collected each billing period, to off-set the additional cost of administering this type of account.
(d) Industrial user surcharge: Monthly user charges for industrial users which exceed the limits established in section 22-116 of this article shall be subject to an industrial user surcharge which shall be computed as follows:
Uc = ((Ur × Wu) + S + B) × 80%
Where:
Uc |
= |
Billing period sewer use charge. |
Ur |
= |
User charge rate in dollars per 1,000 gallons of use. |
Wu |
= |
Water use in 1,000's of gallons during the billing period as determined by parish water works district #1 or #2. |
S |
= |
Surcharge for excess suspended solids. |
B |
= |
Surcharge for excess BOD |
S and B are calculated as shown below:
S = Ur × Wu × SSS - 300 / 300
B = Ur × Wu × BoDA - 250 / 250
Where:
SSA |
= |
Actual suspended solids in parts per million by weight. |
BoDa |
= |
Actual BOD in parts per million by weight. |
(e) Fee Schedule for non-domestic discharge permit; user fees:
1. Application fee: $100.00
2. Permit Fee:
Major Facility Fee: $67.00 per month
Minor Facility Fee: $8.00 per month
Permit fee will be applied to the user's monthly water bill. Major or minor status will be listed on the front page of permit under "CLASS."
3. User Fee:
Volume Range (Gallons per month) Price per Gallon
0-12,000 $180 (flat fee)
12,001-50,000 $0.015
50,001 - above $0.0175
Vote
The foregoing ordinance having been submitted to a vote, the vote thereon was as follows:
And the ordinance was declared adopted this day of , 2013, to become effective five (5) days after publication in the Official Journal.
CHAIRMAN:______________________________________________
SECRETARY:_____________________________________________
DLVD/PARISH PRESIDENT:_________________________________
APPROVED:______________ DISAPPROVED:__________________
PARISH PRESIDENT:______________________________________
RETD/SECRETARY:_______________________________________
AT:_______________ RECD BY: _____________________________