Chapter 12.10
SEWER SYSTEM RATES AND
GENERAL FACILITIES CHARGES
Sections:
12.10.070 Sewer rates – Annual adjustment.
12.10.080 Delinquent accounts.
12.10.090 Residential sewer cap.
12.10.010 Charges.
The following sewer general facilities charge shall apply for any new connection to the sewer system of the town of La Conner:
(1) A general facilities charge of $2,432 for each residential customer equivalent (RCE), defined as the flow equivalent to that of an average single-family residence, and currently set at 150 gallons of water used per day. The town’s utility operator or engineering firm shall maintain a listing of RCE factors or estimated flows for various types of establishments, which listing shall be used by the utility operator or engineering firm to determine the appropriate general facilities charge applicable for a request for sewer service. For requests for service for establishments not included on the listing, the town’s engineering firm shall develop an estimate of sewage volumes and corresponding number of RCEs.
(a) Sewer Residential Customer Equivalent Factors. For the purpose of establishing residential customer equivalents (RCE) for wastewater connection charges, the following listings shall apply. The RCE is based on an average water usage of 150 gallons per day.
(i) Single-family dwellings: For each single-family dwelling, one RCE.
(ii) Multiple-family dwellings: For each residential unit, one RCE.
(iii) Mobile home park or trailer court: For each space in a mobile home park or trailer court or other premises where water and sewer service is available which is used or may be used for temporary or permanent living purposes, one RCE for each space.
(iv) Camping mobile home park or camping trailer park (not intended for general year-round use, i.e., camping type): For each space where water and/or sewer service is available which is or may be used for temporary or permanent living purposes, one RCE for each three spaces.
(v) Campgrounds with central water and/ or sewer service used for camping on a full-time or part-time basis, one RCE for every three spaces.
(vi) Hotel or motel: For each two rooms or fraction thereof, one RCE.
(vii) Restaurants.
(A) Class No. 1 – Shall be any food service establishment that prepares 25 percent or more of its food on site: For each six seats or fraction thereof, one RCE.
(B) Class No. 2 – Shall be any food service establishment that prepares less than 25 percent of its food on site: For each eight seats or fraction thereof, one RCE.
(viii) Bar or cocktail lounge: For each 10 seats or fraction thereof, one RCE.
(ix) Retail store, office, or factory: For each 10 full-time employees or fraction thereof, one RCE.
(x) Public or Private Schools, Colleges or Training Facilities.
(A) Boarding type: For each four persons or fraction thereof in average full-time attendance or employment, one RCE.
(B) With cafeteria, without showers: For each 30 persons or fraction thereof in average full-time attendance or employment, one RCE.
(C) With cafeteria and showers: For each 19 persons or fraction thereof in average full-time attendance or employment, one RCE.
(xi) Theater and/or auditorium: For each 60 seats or fraction thereof, one RCE.
(xii) Churches or other places of worship: For each 100 seats or fraction thereof, one RCE.
(xiii) Laundromats, full or self-service: For each 0.6 or fraction thereof washing machine, the use of which is not strictly limited to occupants of the residential building, trailer court, or mobile home park in which the facility is located, one RCE.
(xiv) Hospital: For each bed in the hospital, one RCE.
(xv) Nursing home: For each two beds, one RCE.
(xvi) Home for the aged: For each three beds, one RCE.
(xvii) Assisted living centers and/or retirement centers with communal dining facilities: Two-thirds of an RCE for each whole unit permitted residential occupancy.
(xviii) Assisted living centers and/or retirement centers without communal dining facilities: One RCE for each whole unit permitted residential occupancy.
(xix) Gasoline service stations: For those with public restrooms, two RCEs; for those without public restrooms, one RCE.
(xx) Combined facilities: For each property which has more than one business or function on one water and/or sewer system, the number of RCEs shall be charged that is the combined sum of the individual RCEs which are applicable to each business or function involved.
(xxi) When a customer or business/function is not specifically listed above, the town engineer shall attempt to determine which category most closely resembles, in quantity of water used and quantity/strength of sewage output, the business/function. In those cases where, in the judgment of the town engineer, such a resemblance does not exist, the town engineer shall determine the usage, in quantity of water used and quantity/ strength of sewage output, and determine the proper RCE allocation.
(xxii) Where a property is devoted to a business involving special water consuming devices or equipment, and/or special sewer emitting devices or equipment, the town engineer may establish the number of applicable RCEs.
(xxiii) Minimum charge for each facility is one RCE.
(2) All single-family residences shall be defined as one RCE for determining the general facilities charge. In no case shall the general facilities charge be less that for a single-family residence. [Ord. 1179 § 1, 2019; Ord. 731 §§ 1, 2, 1998; Ord. 677 § 1, 1996.]
12.10.020 Applicability.
The general facilities charge as defined in LCMC 12.10.010 shall also be applied for any existing sewer customer who, due to expansion, reconstruction, or a change in the nature of the establishment served, would increase the sewage volume generated as estimated by the methods defined in LCMC 12.10.010. For such customers, the general facilities charge shall be based on the difference between the estimated number of RCEs for the current or preceding service and the estimated number of RCEs for the revised service. The general facilities charge for such service expansions shall be subject to any credits or offsets. [Ord. 677 § 2, 1996.]
12.10.030 No refunds.
There shall be no refunds of general facilities charges for termination or reduction of service. [Ord. 677 § 3, 1996.]
12.10.040 Requirements.
The imposition of the general facilities charge does not alter or diminish any requirements of an applicant for new or expanded service to provide or expand local facilities necessary to connect to the existing sewer system, as determined in accordance with standard town policy. [Ord. 677 § 4, 1996.]
12.10.050 Effective date.
The general facilities charge shall be effective for all new sewer connections or service expansions after the date of the ordinance codified in this chapter. [Ord. 677 § 5, 1996.]
12.10.060 Sewer rates.
Sewer charges shall consist of a fixed monthly base rate plus a volume charge for all customers per subsection (6) of this section.
(1) A base rate per month shall apply for all customers, except for qualified senior citizens as defined below.
(2) An additional monthly volume charge shall be applied for each customer class based on the amount of water used or the amount of wastewater flow through a metering manhole, as set forth below.
(3) The volume charge for each customer class shall be:
(a) Residential – A charge for each cubic foot of water;
(b) Average strength commercial or industrial – A charge for each cubic foot of water used;
(c) Above-average strength commercial or industrial – A charge for each cubic foot of water used. Customers identified by the town as having above-average strength may elect, at their option and expense, to have installed a metering manhole and to be charged under that customer category;
(d) Swinomish Tribal Community – A charge consistent with the most recent contract for wastewater treatment and disposal between the town of La Conner and the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community shall be assessed. Such rates shall be established in accordance with the terms of the contract;
(e) Industrial or other customers who have installed metering manholes – A charge per cubic foot of wastewater flow, plus a per month vault maintenance fee, plus a sampling and analysis charge per sample required at the discretion of the plant operator, or requested by the customer, plus any applicable strength surcharge as defined in subsection (4) of this section;
(f) Qualified senior citizens – Annually on or before April 1st, and upon presentation of the Skagit County assessor’s form so stating, senior citizens who participate in the property tax exemption program will not be charged the base charge set forth in subsection (1) of this section;
(g) Septic and septage haulers – A charge for each gallon of septic and/or septage delivered to the treatment plant, except that low strength “gray water” delivered from the Washington State Ferry System may be charged a different rate to be negotiated and set by contract;
(h) Dewatered and dried biosolids deliverers – A charge per dry ton shall be charged for dewatered and dried biosolids delivered to and accepted by the sewer treatment plant.
(4) A strength surcharge shall apply for each cubic foot of sewage flow, for each 100 mg/l of BOD by which the average concentration exceeds 300 mg/l. The surcharge shall be based on the average concentration of sewage, as measured in milligrams per liter (mg/l) of over a one-month period. The plant operator shall determine appropriate sampling and analysis methods to ascertain the concentration.
(5) A capacity surcharge shall be applied for all in-town customers who have not made a capital contribution to the sewer system, either through participation in ULID #1 or by paying a general facilities charge to the town of La Conner for sewer service. A capacity surcharge shall apply for each cubic foot of water used. Customers subject to the capacity surcharge may elect, at their option, to pay the prevailing general facilities charge appropriate for their level of sewer service, at which time the customer would no longer be subject to the capacity surcharge.
(6) The following rates shall be applied; provided, that rate increases after calendar year 2024 shall not exceed eight percent in any year regardless of the actual CPI:
|
Ref. |
Description |
Rate |
Effective |
|---|---|---|---|
|
(1) |
Base Rate per Month |
$31.09 |
1/1/2024 |
|
|
" " " " |
2024 rate + (CPI) |
1/1/2025 |
|
|
" " " " |
2025 rate + (CPI) |
1/1/2026 |
|
(2)(a) |
Residential Volume Charge per CF |
$0.085 |
1/1/2024 |
|
|
" " " " |
2024 rate + (CPI) + (5%) |
1/1/2025 |
|
|
" " " " |
2025 rate + (CPI) + (5%) |
1/1/2026 |
|
(2)(b) |
Average Strength Commercial or Industrial per CF |
$0.085 |
1/1/2024 |
|
|
" " " " |
2024 rate + (CPI) + (5%) |
1/1/2025 |
|
|
" " " " |
2025 rate + (CPI) + (5%) |
1/1/2026 |
|
(2)(c) |
Above-Average Strength Commercial or Industrial per CF |
$0.1137 |
1/1/2024 |
|
|
" " " " |
2024 rate + (5% + CPI) |
1/1/2025 |
|
|
" " " " |
2025 rate + (5% + CPI) |
1/1/2026 |
|
(2)(d) |
Industrial/Other Customers with Metering Manholes per CF |
$0.1137 |
1/1/2024 |
|
|
" " " " |
2024 rate + (5% + CPI) |
1/1/2025 |
|
|
" " " " |
2025 rate + (5% + CPI) |
1/1/2026 |
|
(2)(e) |
Vault Maintenance per Month |
$300.00 |
1/1/2024 |
|
(2)(f) |
Sampling and Analysis per Sample |
$85.00 |
1/1/2024 |
|
(2)(g) |
Septic and Septage Haulers per Gallon for Materials with 10% or Less Solids |
$0.12 |
1/1/2024 |
|
(2)(h)(i) |
Biosolids Materials per Ton Received with Greater Than 10% but 90% or Less Solids |
$37.50 |
1/1/2024 |
|
(2)(h)(ii) |
Biosolids Materials per Ton with 91% or Greater Solids |
$150.00 |
1/1/2024 |
|
(3) |
Strength Surcharge per CF |
$0.81 |
1/1/2024 |
|
(4) |
Capacity Surcharge per CF |
$1.72 |
1/1/2024 |
[Ord. 1238 § 1, 2023; Ord. 1223 § 1, 2023; Ord. 1220 § 1, 2022; Ord. 1195 § 2, 2020; Ord. 1182 § 1, 2019; Ord. 1149 § 3, 2017; Ord. 1075 § 2, 2012; Ord. 1056 § 2, 2010; Ord. 1021 § 9, 2009; Ord. 950 § 1, 2005; Ord. 879 §§ 1, 2, 2003; Ord. 831 § 1, 2001; Ord. 766 § 1, 2000; Ord. 735 § 1, 1998; Ord. 723 § 1, 1998; Ord. 664 § 1, 1994.]
12.10.070 Sewer rates – Annual adjustment.
The town shall periodically review and establish rates for each calendar year. For any year that the town has not established rates, the user rates detailed under LCMC 12.10.060(1) and (2)(a), (b), (c) and (d) will be automatically adjusted by an amount equal to the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U Seattle). Such adjustment shall commence as of April 1st of that year (for water usage in March) based on the prior year CPI index ended December 31st. [Ord. 1021 § 10, 2009; Ord. 888 § 1, 2003; Ord. 735 § 2, 1998.]
12.10.080 Delinquent accounts.
Sewer accounts which remain unpaid 45 days from the billing date shall be assessed interest at a rate not to exceed eight percent per annum from the billing date until the date of payment. Additionally, water service for any delinquent sewer account unpaid for 60 days shall be terminated until the charges are paid, subject to LCMC 12.15.070(1), and as allowed by state law. Additionally, the finance director shall thereupon record a lien for sewerage as allowed by state law, which lien shall be foreclosed pursuant to state law. [Ord. 825 § 2, 2001; Ord. 803, 2001.]
12.10.090 Residential sewer cap.
Residential sewer billings for the months of July, August and September of each year shall be billed for the first 700 cubic feet of water consumption only. Sewer billings for all other months shall be based on the total water consumed. [Ord. 1026 § 1, 2009; Ord. 900 § 1, 2003.]