Ord 544__ ORDINANCE NO. 544
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF POWAY, CALIFORNIA AMENDING
CHAPTER 13.03.010, SCHEDULE OF SEWER SERVICE CHARGES
AND ESTABLISHING SEWER RATES
WHEREAS, the City of Poway provides sewer service to citizens of Poway; and
WHEREAS, the City has a user charge system based on water consumption and which
takes into account both quantity and quality of a customer's sewage; and
WHEREAS, a bimonthly service charge is established which recovers all costs associated
with customer service and a portion of the fixed costs associated with maintaining the capacity of
the City's sewer system; and
WHEREAS, a seven-tier, single-family residential sewer commodity charge is established,
which includes the bimonthly sewer service charge for single-family customers. Single-family
residential customers are assigned a commodity charge tier each year based on 85 percent of
their three-year average of lowest winter water use; and
WHEREAS, a variable sewer commodity rate is established for multi-family and mobile
home customers. The variable commodity charge is based on 85 percent of the water through the
water meter if a separate landscape meter exists. If a separate landscape meter does not exist,
the variable commodity charge is based on 75 percent of the water through the water meter; and
WHEREAS, a variable sewer commodity rate is established for all non-residential
customers based upon customer class and estimated sewage strength of the user. The variable
commodity charge is based on 90 percent of the water through the meter for the five categories of
commercial users. The variable commodity charge for the special industrial user class is based
upon an assigned percentage of water through the meter; and
WHEREAS, a variable sewer commodity rate is established for schools. The variable
commodity charge is based on a per-student-per-day water use amount. The per-student-per-day
use amount is derived from dividing the student count into the March/April water consumption for
the previous year; and
WHEREAS, a variable sewer commodity rate is established for churches. The variable
commodity charge is based upon an assigned percentage of water through the meter. The
percentage is based on the average winter use for the prior year as compared to the total annual
average for the church; and
WHEREAS, the variable sewer commodity charge adopted herein shall be imposed on the
basis of the established percentages of the amount of water through the water meter. The fee or
charge is not imposed upon real property or upon a person as an incident of property ownership.
A customer may reduce or avoid the fee by reducing or discontinuing use; and
Ordinance No. 544
Page 2
WHEREAS, the City has pumping charges for established service areas; and
WHEREAS, the City has a delinquency fee and other noted fees.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF POWAY DOES ORDAIN AS
FOLLOWS:
Section 1. That a schedule of bimonthly sewer service charges is hereby established for all
sewer services billed beginning the first full billing cycle after July 1,2001:
Schedule of Bimonthly Sewer Service Charges
All sewer customers shall pay a bimonthly basic sewer service charge effective 7/1/01 for
service based upon meter size as follows:
Meter Size:
Single Family*
5/8 inch and 3/4 inch
1-inch
1-1/2-inch
2-inch
3-inch
4-inch
6-inch
8-inch
1 O-inch
$ 8.11
9.59
12.55
19.94
28.81
52.46
79.07
182.55
241.68
368.53
$ 2.00
3.00
5.00
10.00
16.00
32.00
50.00
120.00
160.00
240.00
$10.11
12.59
17.55
29.94
44.81
84.46
129.07
302.55
401.68
608.53
*A special class has been established for sewer bimonthly service charge for all single-family residential users
based on a 5/8-inch meter, All other classes of residential and commercial/industrial bimonthly service charges
are based on actual water meter size beginning with the combined 5/8-inch and 3/4-inch class.
Ordinance No. 544
Page 3
Commodity Rate - Single Family Residential
All single-family residential customers shall pay a bimonthly seven-tier fiat commodity
charge effective 7/1/01 as follows:
Tier Water Use
Tier 1 (0-5 HCF) $8.11 $2.00 $15.03 $25.14
Tier2 (6-12 HCF) 8.11 2.00 30.05 40.16
Tier3 (13-19 HCF) 8.11 2.00 45.07 55.18
Tier4 (20-26 HCF) 8.11 2.00 50.08 60.19
Tier 5 (27-37 HCF) 8.11 2.00 57.59 67.70
Tier 6 (38-50 HCF) 8.11 2.00 65.01 75.12
Tier 7 (51+ HCF) 8.11 2.00 72.61 82.72
Single-family customers are assigned a commodity charge tier each year based on 85% of
their three-year average of lowest winter water use.
New customers in single family residential, and condominium and townhouse with separate
master landscape meters are assigned a tier based on their first period of consumption not-
to-exceed Tier 3. They will remain at this tier until they establish their own winter water use.
Single-family customers with less than a three-year history will be calculated based on the
lowest winter water use average for any year the customer has a history at the property.
Commodity Rate - Multi-family, Mobile Home, Nonresidential
All multi-family, mobile home, nonresidential and institutional customers shall pay a
bimonthly variable commodity rate on estimated sewer flow effective 7/1/01 as follows:
Multi-Family and Mobile Home
Estimated sewer flow based on 85% of customer's bimonthly
water usage (75% if a separate landscape meter does not exist).
$2.50
Ordinance No. 544
Page 4
Nonresidential Customers
Estimated sewer flow based on 90% of customer's bimonthly
water usage:
General Commercial
Medium-Low
Medium
Medium-High
High
Light Industry
Special Industrial Users - The Director of Administrative Services
is hereby authorized to determine the pementage of water flow
based on actual discharge to the sewer system as evidenced by
data supplied by the user, and classified per the currently
approved water and sewer rate study.
Institutional
Churches--Estimated sewer flow based on calculated
percentage of customer's bimonthly water usage.
Schools--Estimated sewer flow based on calculated flow per
student per day.
$2.50
2.91
3.42
4.49
5.86
2.64
$2.50
$2.50
All service connections whose wastewater is served by wastewater pump stations (including the
Rancho Bernardo Pump Station) will be charged $1.93/month surcharge for each pump station
utilized.
Upon change of ownership, sewer charges will be prorated on a 60-day billing period basis
between old and new customer.
A delinquency fee of 10 percent of the unpaid balance or $50, whichever is less, shall be charged
on all accounts that remain unpaid for more than 30 days.
A fee of $25 shall be charged for returned checks.
Ordinance No. 544
Page 5
EFFECTIVE DATE: This ordinance shall take effect and be in force thirty (30) days after
the date of its passage; and before the expiration of fifteen (15) days after its passage, it shall be
published once with the names of members voting for and against the same in the Poway News
Chieftain, a newspaper of general cimulation published in the City of Poway.
Introduced and first read at a Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Poway held
on the 10th day of July 2001, and thereafter PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of
said City Council held on the 31st day of July 2001, by the following roll call vote:
AYES: EMERY, GOLDBY, REXFORD, CAFAGNA
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: HIGGINSON
ATTEST:
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n:\city\admnserv\director~wtr-swr~swr rate ord.doc