Chapter 7.20
WASTEWATER DISCHARGE RATES AND CONDITIONS
Sections:
7.20.030 SAWPA billing adjustment for meter imbalances.
7.20.040 Brine Line surcharges – Direct connects and direct connects that truck haul.
7.20.050 Brine Line sampling fees.
7.20.060 Brine Line permit fees.
7.20.070 Brine Line collection station discharges.
7.20.080 Brine Line emergency rates.
7.20.090 Brine Line rules and regulations.
7.20.100 Brine Line deposit requirement.
7.20.110 Brine Line actual charges.
7.20.130 WWRF laboratory costs.
7.20.140 FOG/SOGI program fees for WWRF and Murrieta collection system.
7.20.010 Applicability.
The following rates, charges and conditions shall apply to and govern any discharge made to Western facilities, the Brine Line, WWRF and the Murrieta collection system for the discharge of nonreclaimable wastewater, collection station discharges and the temporary discharge of domestic wastewater into the Brine Line from all dischargers (direct connects to the Brine Line, truck waste delivered to the collection station, and dischargers who own capacity rights but truck deliver to the collection station), and WWRF industrial discharges, and FOG/SOGI control for the WWRF and the Murrieta collection systems. (Res. 3124, 2020)
7.20.020 Monthly volumetric charges for dischargers directly connected to the Brine Line who own or lease capacity rights from Western.
Effective July 1, 2020, the treatment and volumetric charges paid to Western for treatment and disposal of nonreclaimable and temporary domestic wastewater dischargers directly connected to the Brine Line shall be as follows, with a minimum charge per month of $150.00 for the flow component:
|
Program |
Flow/MG (1) |
BOD/1,000 lbs. (2) |
TSS/1,000 lbs. (3) |
Fixed Pipe/MGD (4) |
Fixed Treatment/ MGD (5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Government Agency with Source Control Program |
$1,052 |
$316 |
$442 |
$6,918 |
$14,041 |
|
Western Source Control Program |
$1,209 |
$338 |
$473 |
$8,255 |
$16,743 |
1. This component shall be calculated and assessed per million gallons (MG) of discharge (flow) to the Brine Line each month. (Minimum charge per month is $150.00.)
2. This component shall be calculated and assessed per pound (i.e., $0.316/lb. or $0.338/lb.) of dry weight of BOD, calculated from the average of sample results each month.
3. This component shall be calculated and assessed per pound (i.e., $0.442/lb. or $0.473/lb.) of dry weight of TSS, calculated from the average of sample results each month.
4. This component for fixed pipeline cost (also known as readiness to serve) shall be assessed per MGD of owned pipeline/connection capacity per month.
5. This component for fixed treatment costs shall be assessed per MGD of owned treatment and disposal capacity per month.
(Res. 3124 § A, 2020)
7.20.030 SAWPA billing adjustment for meter imbalances.
Total charges for flow, BOD and TSS (see subsection B of this section) for each discharger may be adjusted if any individual component of flow, BOD, and TSS at Meter S-01 (see subsection A of this section) is higher than the aggregate of all the individual discharger components.
A. Meter S-01 is the meter Orange County Sanitation District uses to invoice SAWPA for all Brine Line measurements of flow, BOD and TSS.
B. Billings will include a pro rata adjustment for flow, TSS and BOD billed at applicable rates contained herein. (Res. 3124 § B, 2020)
7.20.040 Brine Line surcharges – Direct connects and direct connects that truck haul.
A. Quality Surcharges. In addition to the payments required under WMWDC 7.20.020 and 7.20.030, each user holding a discharge right shall pay Western the following quality-related surcharges:
1. Actual strength (BOD and TSS) at rates equal to the payments required under WMWDC 7.20.020 and 7.20.030 for all strength loadings above owned/leased capacity rights as defined in each discharger’s capacity contract, or if undefined by the contract 190 mg/l BOD and 174 mg/l TSS, calculated from averaging the sampling results taken for the month.
2. In addition to charges in subsection (A)(1) of this section, each discharger exceeding its capacity right for BOD and/or TSS shall pay Western a treatment and disposal capacity excess strength charge calculated by subtracting owned/leased treatment and disposal capacity rights as defined in each discharger’s capacity contract or if undefined by the contract, 190 mg/l BOD and 174 mg/l TSS, from the average of the sampling for the month for that discharger (adjusted using WMWDC 7.20.030), multiplied by the following rates:
|
BOD = $0.3923/lb. |
|
TSS = $0.2405/lb. |
B. Quantity Surcharges. In addition to the payments required under WMWDC 7.20.020 and 7.20.030, each user holding a discharge right shall pay Western the following quantity-related surcharges:
1. Actual flow at rates equal to the payments required under WMWDC 7.20.020 and 7.20.030 for all flow above owned/leased capacity rights as defined in each discharger’s capacity contract calculated by subtracting owned/leased capacity rights multiplied by the number of days between meter readings during the month from the actual metered quantity discharged during the month.
2. In addition to charges of subsection (B)(1) of this section, each discharger exceeding its capacity right for flow shall pay Western a pipeline capacity excess flow charge calculated by subtracting owned/leased pipeline capacity rights multiplied by the number of days between meter readings during the month from the actual metered quantity discharged during the month; and multiplying that number of gallons by $0.1920 ($0.1398 for treatment capacity overage and $0.0522 for pipeline capacity overage). (Res. 3124 § C, 2020)
7.20.050 Brine Line sampling fees.
A sampling fee shall be assessed on all samples to each discharger. The need for sampling is determined by SAWPA and/or Western and billed monthly. For example, high BOD, TSS or high variability dischargers will be sampled monthly or more frequently as required, and low BOD/TSS or low variability dischargers will be sampled semi-annually or as required to obtain reliable data or as otherwise determined by Western. The following sampling fees are based on the frequency of sampling:
|
Direct Connect Customers Sampling Fees: |
|
|---|---|
|
Frequency |
|
|
Weekly/Monthly |
$487 |
|
Quarterly |
$783 |
|
Semi-Annual |
$933 |
|
Annual |
$1,362 |
|
Collection Station Customers Sampling Fees: |
|
|---|---|
|
Frequency |
|
|
Quarterly |
$537 |
|
Semi-Annual |
$565 |
|
Annual |
$701 |
Due to the variability in the number of constituents required in the laboratory analysis for each discharger, actual laboratory analysis costs will be billed to each discharger as samples are taken, and are not included in the sampling fees above. In addition, SAWPA, at its discretion, may perform sampling to fulfill its compliance requirements. The actual sampling fee charged to Western by SAWPA will be passed through to the appropriate discharger. (Res. 3124 § D, 2020)
7.20.060 Brine Line permit fees.
Prior to commencement of discharge of wastewater into the Brine Line, each discharger must file for and receive a discharge permit from Western. Renewal of a discharge permit shall not exceed five years, or as required by SAWPA. The following annual permit fee will be billed to customers according to the following types of users:
|
Direct Connect Customers |
|
|---|---|
|
Categorical/Significant Industrial User |
$6,046 |
|
Industrial User |
$5,281 |
|
Nonsignificant Industrial User |
$4,898 |
|
Collection Station Customers |
|
|---|---|
|
Categorical/Significant Industrial User |
$4,088 |
|
Industrial User |
$3,711 |
|
Nonsignificant Industrial User |
$3,553 |
(Res. 3124 § E, 2020)
7.20.070 Brine Line collection station discharges.
A. Truck-delivered nonreclaimable wastewater discharges from resources within the Santa Ana River Watershed at Western’s collection station shall be charged based on the strength of the waste discharge as shown below:
|
Waste Strength |
Using the Higher of the BOD and TSS Concentration |
Cost per Gallon |
|---|---|---|
|
Brine |
Less than 100 mg/l |
$0.033 |
|
Non-Brine |
100 mg/l and higher |
(a) |
(a) Discharges with concentrations of either BOD or TSS over 100 mg/l will be charged based on the actual concentration of the waste discharged using the following cost components:
i. $0.033 per gallon;
ii. $0.772 per pound of BOD; and
iii. $0.737 per pound of TSS.
B. Discharges from outside the watershed also shall require specific approval from Western and SAWPA. Truck-delivered nonreclaimable wastewater discharges from outside the Santa Ana River Watershed to a SAWPA-authorized collection station shall be charged a surcharge of 10 percent on waste discharged to the Brine Line. This surcharge will be added to the rates indicated in subsection A of this section and represents the administrative costs associated with serving these customers. (Res. 3124 § F, 2020)
7.20.080 Brine Line emergency rates.
An emergency rate shall be charged for standby discharges/emergency overflow connections. The emergency rate shall be comprised of 110 percent of the surcharges in WMWDC 7.20.040, plus 110 percent of the flow, BOD and TSS charges in WMWDC 7.20.020 after the adjustment of WMWDC 7.20.030. In addition to the excess capacity charges of WMWDC 7.20.040, emergency rates may be assessed for discharges in excess of the owned capacity, as solely determined by Western’s general manager. (Res. 3124 § G, 2020)
7.20.090 Brine Line rules and regulations.
The provisions of SAWPA Ordinance No. 8 and Western’s Ordinance No. 389, and any amendments or successors thereto, are hereby incorporated by this reference, as though set forth herein in full. (Res. 3124 § H, 2020)
7.20.100 Brine Line deposit requirement.
Prior to commencement of discharge of wastewater into the Brine Line, each such user shall deposit with Western an amount determined solely by Western’s general manager to be sufficient to cover each user’s operation, maintenance and replacement costs for a 90-day period. The general manager shall have the right to require such deposit to be increased as monthly operation, maintenance and replacement charges may be raised by resolution of Western. He may also require an increase in the deposit sufficient in his judgment to protect Western against loss if the discharger fails to pay on time, or if the general manager has reason to question the financial stability of the discharger. If Western notifies a user that the amount of its deposit must be increased, the user shall deposit the additional amount required within 10 working days thereafter. If the general manager should determine on the basis of revised estimates of use that a user’s deposit should be decreased, Western shall promptly refund the appropriate portion of the deposit without interest. If any user, generator or trucking company fails to pay any sum required under this chapter within 30 days of the end of the billing cycle, Western, at its sole discretion, shall have the right to suspend the permit and physically prevent further discharges to Western’s facilities and the Brine Line and draw upon the deposit of such user. In that event, and subject to the default and notice provisions of the agreement establishing the user’s discharge right, the user shall have no further right to discharge to either Western or into the Brine Line until its deposit has been reestablished in compliance with this chapter as determined by Western’s general manager. Upon termination of any discharge right, not based upon default by the user, Western shall refund its deposit without interest. (Res. 3124 § I, 2020)
7.20.110 Brine Line actual charges.
In some situations including but not limited to emergency discharges, overflows and sludge loadings, actual charges imposed by SAWPA may exceed standard charges described above. Therefore, for nonstandard discharges as determined by Western’s general manager, actual OCSD/SAWPA charges and Western’s costs for flow, BOD and TSS shall be passed through to dischargers after a 60-day notice. (Res. 3124 § J, 2020)
7.20.120 WWRF permit fee.
Prior to commencement of discharge of wastewater to WWRF, each industrial discharger must file for and receive a discharge permit from Western. Renewal of a discharge permit shall not exceed five years. The following annual permit fee will be billed to customers according to the following types of users:
|
Industrial Dischargers to WWRF: |
|
|---|---|
|
Categorical/Significant Industrial User |
$8,520 |
|
Industrial User |
$2,788 |
(Res. 3124 § K, 2020)
7.20.130 WWRF laboratory costs.
As part of the permitting process, a sample(s) is taken at the discharger’s site. The frequency of sampling specified in each discharger’s permit determines the required constituents tested per sample. Due to the variability of required constituents per discharger, the cost of laboratory analysis is billed as samples are taken. As such, laboratory analysis costs are not included in permit fees, but rather will be billed to customers based on invoices from the laboratory. (Res. 3124 § L, 2020)
7.20.140 FOG/SOGI program fees for WWRF and Murrieta collection system.
All dischargers of FOG/SOGI to the collection systems of WWRF and Murrieta are subject to periodic inspections of their oil and grease interceptors. The following fee will be billed to customers according to their service area for inspection:
|
FOG/SOGI Discharger |
|
|---|---|
|
WWRF Service Area |
$319 |
|
Murrieta Service Area |
$334 |
(Res. 3124 § M, 2020)
7.20.150 Payments.
Western may secure delinquent charges by any method available to Western. In the event that legal action is brought to collect unpaid charges, Western shall be entitled to the payment of all costs, including attorney’s fees. Defendant shall pay all cost of suits rendered in favor of Western. (Res. 3124 § N, 2020)