ORDINANCE 1576
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 1423, THE RATES
FOR SEWAGE SERVICE TO THE CUSTOMERS OF
BLUFFTON UTILITIES SEWAGE DEPARTMENT
WHEREAS, the Common Council (“Council”) of the City of Bluffton (“City”) has authority under the Acts of the Indiana General Assembly to make all necessary regulations for the preservation of the rights, property, health, safety and welfare of its citizens and the Council finds that the interests of the citizens of the City would be best served by amending the rules and rates for the service of sewage removal and treatment to the customers of the Bluffton Utilities Sewage Department; and
WHEREAS, the City bills users outside the City a different rate than those inside the City; and
WHEREAS, the proposed rate changes will result in a differential between Outside City rates and Inside City rates of approximately 14.9%.
THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BLUFFTON, INDIANA AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1: Title 13, Chapter 12, Section 095 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Bluffton, Indiana as it has heretofore read is hereby repealed and replaced in its entirety and shall henceforth read as set forth in “Exhibit A” attached hereto and be enforced as an ordinance of the City of Bluffton, Indiana.
Section 2: Title 13, Chapter 12, Section 100 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Bluffton, Indiana as it has heretofore read is hereby repealed and replaced in its entirety and shall henceforth read as set forth in “Exhibit B” attached hereto and be enforced as an ordinance of the City of Bluffton, Indiana.
Section 3: Title 13, Chapter 12, Section 105 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Bluffton, Indiana as it has heretofore read is hereby repealed and replaced in its entirety and shall henceforth read as set forth in “Exhibit C” attached hereto and be enforced as an ordinance of the City of Bluffton, Indiana.
Section 4: Title 13, Chapter 12, Section 120 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Bluffton, Indiana as it has heretofore read is hereby repealed and replaced in its entirety and shall henceforth read as set forth in “Exhibit D” attached hereto and be enforced as an ordinance of the City of Bluffton, Indiana.
Section 5: Title 13, Chapter 12, Section 130 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Bluffton, Indiana as it has heretofore read is hereby repealed.
Section 6: A new Title 13, Chapter 12, Section 133 is added to the Code of Ordinances of the City of Bluffton, Indiana and shall henceforth read as set forth in “Exhibit E” attached hereto and be enforced as an ordinance of the City of Bluffton, Indiana.
Section 6: A new Title 13, Chapter 12, Section 136 is added to the Code of Ordinances of the City of Bluffton, Indiana and shall henceforth read as set forth in “Exhibit F” attached hereto and be enforced as an ordinance of the City of Bluffton, Indiana.
Section 7: This Ordinance shall take effect and be in force upon adoption and publication as required by law.
Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Bluffton, Indiana, 20th day of December, 2022, by the following vote:
AYES 5, to-wit:
Rickey D Elwell
Scott A. Mentzer
Janella J. Stronczek
Chandler T. Gerber
Joshua D Hunt
Mayor John S. Whicker, Presiding Officer
ATTEST:
Tamara D. Runyon, IAMC, MMC, CPFA
City Clerk-Treasurer
Presented by me to the Mayor of the City of Bluffton, Indiana, at 6:30 o’clock p.m. 20th day of December, 2022.
Tamara D. Runyon, IAMC, MMC, CPFA
City Clerk-Treasurer
Approved by me this 20th day of December 2022.
Mayor John S. Whicker
EXHIBIT A
Chapter 13.12
13.12.095 RATES AND CHARGES FOR WELLS COUNTY REGIONAL SEWER DISTRICT Per the rate study dated May 15, 2020
WCRSD Service Charge (per month) $200.00
WCRSD Treatment Rate (per CCF) $2.63*
* Equal to $3.52 per 1,000 gallons
EXHIBIT B
13.12.100 SEWAGE RATES – INSIDE CITY USERS
For the use of and the service rendered by the City’s Sewage Works, sewer charges shall be collected from the owners of each and every lot, parcel of real estate or building that is or could be connected to the City’s sewerage systems or otherwise discharges sanitary sewage, industrial wastes, water or other liquids, either directly or indirectly, into the sewage system of the City, which sewer charges shall be payable as hereinafter provided and shall be in an amount determinable as follows: Per study dated January 31, 2022 adjusted per bids received February 1, 2022.
Metered Water Consumption Monthly Sewer Charge
per month per 100 cubic feet
First 300 cubic feet $7.18
Over 300 cubic feet 6.61
The minimum monthly charge for any metered water customer user shall be:
Monthly Minimum Allowed Sewer Charges
$21.54
The minimum monthly charge for any residential user who is not a metered water customer shall be:
Monthly Minimum Allowed Sewer Charges
$55.04
The minimum monthly sewer charge for any commercial or industrial user who is not a customer of the City’s water utility shall be determined in accordance with the following:
Estimated Cubic Feet per Month Monthly Sewer Charges
910 $61.86
955 64.84
1,084 73.36
1,472 99.01
1,602 107.60
1,740 116.72
1,860 124.66
2,295 153.41
3,600 239.67
7,336 486.62
8,257 547.50
24,429 1,616.47
EXHIBIT C
13.12.105 SEWAGE RATES AND FEES FOR CUSTOMERS OUTSIDE THE CITY*
For the use of and the service rendered by the Sewage Works, sewer charges shall be collected from the owners of each and every lot, parcel of real estate or building located outside the City that is or could be connected to the sewer system or otherwise discharges sanitary sewage, industrial wastes, water of other liquids, either directly or indirectly, into the sewer system, which sewer charges shall be payable as hereinafter provided and shall be in an amount determined as follows: Per study dated January 31, 2022 adjusted per bids received February 1, 2022.
Metered Water Consumption Monthly Sewer Charge
per month per 100 cubic feet
First 300 cubic feet $8.25
Over 300 cubic feet 7.59
The minimum monthly charge for any metered water customer shall be:
Monthly Minimum Allowed Sewer Charges
$24.75
The minimum monthly charge for any residential user who is not a metered water customer shall be:
Monthly Minimum Allowed Sewer Charges
$63.24
The minimum monthly sewer charge for any commercial or industrial user who is not a customer of the City’s water utility shall be determined in accordance with the following:
Estimated Cubic Feet per Month Monthly Sewer Charges
910 $71.05
955 74.46
1,084 84.26
1,472 113.70
1,602 123.57
1,740 134.05
1,860 143.15
2,295 176.17
3,600 275.22
7,336 558.78
8,257 628.69
24,429 1,856.14
*(Outside corporate city boundaries rates and charges are approximately 14.9% higher than the rates and charges for customers inside corporate city boundaries.)
EXHIBIT D
13.12.120 STRENGTH-OF-WASTE SURCHARGE
A. Each industrial or non-industrial user who discharges wastes into the sewage system shall be subject to a surcharge, in addition to the regular sewer charges, based on both the biochemical oxygen demand (or on the chemical oxygen demand where BOD cannot be determined) and the suspended solids content of the wastes, if these wastes have a concentration greater than the following:
1. A biochemical oxygen demand of 200 milligrams per liter; or where BOD cannot be determined, then in lieu of BOD, a chemical oxygen of 400 milligrams per liter;
2. A total suspended solids content of 200 milligrams per liter;
3. A phosphate content of 12 milligrams per liter; or
4. An ammonia-nitrogen content of 15 milligrams per liter;
B. The surcharge shall be determined as follows:
1. The excess pounds of BOD or (COD) and of suspended solids will each be computed by first multiplying the customer’s billing sewage volume measured in units of 100 cubic feet for the current billing period by the factor 0.0062321 and then multiplying this product by the difference between:
a. The concentrations measured in milligrams per liter of the BOD (or COD) and of the suspended solids respectively in the customer’s sewage; and
b. The allowed concentrations set out in Section 13.120 (A). The surcharge for each constituent will then be determined by multiplying the excess pounds of each constituent by the appropriate rate of surcharge set out in paragraph C.
C. The rate of surcharge for each of the aforementioned constituents shall be as follows:
1. For biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) – $0.21 per pound
2. For chemical oxygen demand (COD) where BOD cannot be determined – $0.21 per pound
3. For total suspended solids – $0.32 per pound
4. For phosphates – $1.29 per pound
5. For ammonia-nitrogen – $0.97 per pound
EXHIBIT E
13.12.133 SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT CHARGES
Connections to the City of Bluffton’s sewer facilities must pay a System Development Charge as follows:
Calculation
In City Connections (1): $1,113.46 per EDU (Σ E / Σ C)
Outside of the
City Connections (1): $1,279.37 per EDU (Σ E / Σ C) * 1.149
(1) Methodology as proposed by City Board of Public Works and detailed below:
Equivalent Connections
Meter Number of Equivalency Equivalent Direct Equivalent
Size Connections Factor (2) Connections Cost/EDU Total Cost
at (A x B) (I / B) (C x D)
11/23/2020
(A) (B) (C) (D) (E)
5/8” 3,604 1.00 3,604.00 $1,137.81 $4,100,667.24
3/4” 32 1.40 44.80 1,121.77 50,255.30
1” 118 2.50 295.00 1,104.13 325,718.35
1 1/2” 37 5.80 214.60 1,091.36 234,205.86
2” 63 10.00 630.00 1,087.29 684,992.70
3” 14 23.00 322.00 1,084.12 349,086.64
4” 24 40.00 960.00 1,083.08 1,039,756.80
6” 9 91.00 819.00 1,082.30 886,403.70
Totals 3,901 6,889.40 7,671,086.59
Net Equity
Meter Size Equity (3) x B Direct Labor (4) Direct Cost (F + G)
(F) (G) (I)
5/8” $1,081.68 $56.13 $1,137.81
3/4” 1,514.35 56.13 1,570.48
1” 2,704.20 56.13 2,760.33
1 1/2” 6,273.74 56.13 6,329.87
2” 10,816.80 56.13 10,872.93
3” 24,878.64 56.13 24,934.77
4” 43,267.20 56.13 43,323.33
6” 98,432.88 56.13 98,489.01
(2) Based on diameter of line calculation:
Area = radius2 x ∏
Area for 5/8” meter = 0.31
(3) Equity calculated based on the below per information presented in the April 15, 2022 Financial Management Report
Capital Assets $21,589,216
Construction work in progress 3,352,322
Land 573,561
Less: accumulated depreciation (10,384,967)
Subtotal 15,130,132
Less: outstanding bonds and note principal balances (7,678,000)
Net equity in sewer utility assets 7,452,132
Divided by: Equivalent connections 6,889
System Development Charge $1,081.68
(4) Calculated based on wages of $28.07 per hour X 2 labor hours
EXHIBIT F
13.12.136 SURVEILLANCE/EVALUATION CHARGE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE CITY
All users discharging wastes into the system that require continuing surveillance sampling and waste evaluation, shall be subject to the following fixed charges to cover the costs of such services.
Monthly Evaluation
Type Unit of Measure Amount
Type 1 Evaluation Per discharge point per month $144.03
Type 2 Evaluation Per discharge point per month $197.70
Type 3 Evaluation Per discharge point per month $249.51
Bulk Waste Charges
i. Bulk Industrial Waste Charge
All industrial waste suitable for disposal which has been delivered by an approved waste hauler to the City’s plant. For purposes of computing charges hereunder, a LOAD is defined as 1,000 gallons of tank capacity or any fraction thereof.
Type Unit of Measure Amount
Discharge 1,000 gallons $124.05
Billing Charge Per bill $5.57
ii. Domestic
All domestic waste delivered to the City’s plant by customer’s truck or tank. For purposes of computing charges hereunder, a LOAD is defined as 1,000 gallons of tank capacity or any fraction thereof.
Type Unit of Measure Amount
Discharge 1,000 gallons $124.05
Billing Charge Per bill $5.57
nb 12/27
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