2570ORDINANCE NO.2570
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 13.12 OF THE MOSES LAKE MUNICIPAL
CODE ENTITLED "WATER,SEWER,AND STORMWATER RATES"
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MOSES LAKE,WASHINGTON ORDAINS AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1.Chapter 13.12 of the Moses Lake Municipal Code entitled "Water,Sewer,and Stormwater Rates"
is amended as follows:
13.12.040 Commercial Sewer Rates:
A.The following shall be the monthly rate charged customers residing within the corporate limits
of the city and outside the corporate limits of the city for all chargeable water discharged into
the city sewer system by commercial users and dwellings with three (3)or more living units
served by one (1)meter after May 1,2010:
B.
Amount Used (in cubic feet)
0-1,000
Over 1,000
Sewer Rate
$32.85 per month minimum
$1.25 per 100 cu.ft.or portion thereof
For purposes of calculating sewer charges,chargeable water shall be defined as follows:
Chargeable water shall be measured by the water consumed on the premises,whatever the
source of such water,and the same will be metered either by a public utility meter or one
installed and maintained by the property owner of the premises at the property owner's
expense and approved and inspected by the city.Where the water is metered by a privately
owned water meter and is used to determine sewer charges,the city shall be allowed access
to the meter in order to read such meter.Where the use of water is such that a portion of all
the water used does not flow into the sewer system,for whatever reason,but is lost by
evaporation,irrigation,sprinkling or is used in manufacturing or in a manufactured product,or
is lost for whatever reason,and the person in control provides proof of this fact and installs a
meter or other measuring device approved by the city to measure the amount ofwater so used
and so lost,or if the city is capable of determining the amount of sewage entering the city's
sewer system by some other mechanical means,this water may be deducted from the actual
water consumption used in calculating the sewer charge.
The sewer charges for triplexes and apartments,mobile home parks,schools,hospitals and
other commercial establishments with increased usage for irrigation,only if their landscaping
exceeds five thousand (5,000)square feet,shall be computed on the average consumption
during the previous non-irrigation season,unless the user elects to install,at his expense,an
approved measuring device to measure water not entering the sewer system.When a user
has a swimming pool or cooling units discharging to the sanitary sewer,he must install an
approved meter to determine the amount of water exempt from sewer charges during the
irrigation season.The irrigation season shall be defined as the period in which statements are
mailed for the April through November billing cycles.
Sewer rates for commercial uses discharged into the sewer system may be separately
determined by the City Council,based upon both volume and chemical characteristics of the
sewage.The City Council reserves the privilege to require pre-treatment of any material
discharged into the sewerage system,or to prohibit discharge into the system of industrial
wastes that,because of either volume or concentration,will overload existing sewerage
facilities.
ORDINANCE NO.2570
PAGE 2 July 13,2010
D.All air-conditioning and refrigeration units that are installed,replaced or that have capacity
increased after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter shall be required to
install recirculating units.Disposal may not be accomplished by discharging into the sanitary
sewer system.
13.12.042 Stormwater Rates:The following shall be the monthly rate for stormwater fees on residential and
non-residential properties.
A.Residential properties shall be charged five dollars ($5)per each living unit.
B.Non-residential properties shall be charged the following rates per Table 13.12.
TABLE 13.12.042
Category
Non-residential 1
Non-residential 2
Non-residential 3
Non-residential 4
Non-residential 5
Non-residential 6
Non-residential 7
Impervious
Ground Cover (s.f.)
Up to 6,000
6,001 to 15,000
15,001 to 30,000
30,001 to 60,000
60,001 to 120,000
120,001 to 240,000
More than 240,000
Rate
$5.00
$8.50
$12.50
$25.00
$50.00
$100.00
$150.00
C.Undeveloped property shall not be charged a stormwater fee.
D.Non-residential property owners may submit a request for the following credits to the
stormwater fees.Residential properties are not eligible for credits.The credits are not
cumulative.Requests for credit shall be submitted to the Municipal Services Director on forms
provided by the Municipal Services Department.
1.A credit of up to eighty percent (80%)may be approved for non-residential properties for
portions of on-site stormwater discharges to privately maintained on-site treatmentfacilities
that are in compliance with an active National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
(NPDES)permit.A copy of the NPDES permit and the associated Stormwater Pollution
Prevention Plan shall be provided to the Municipal Services Director with the application
for credit.No credits will be approved for stormwater discharged to facilities that are
maintained and serviced by the stormwater utility.
2.A credit of up to fifty percent (50%)may be approved for non-residential property for
portions ofon-site stormwater discharges to privately maintained stormwater systems that
meet best management practices of the most current version of the Stormwater
Management Manual for Eastern Washington,meet all City of Moses Lake requirements,
and are approved by the Municipal Services Director.
3.A credit of up to ten percent (10%)may be approved for non-residential property for
portions of on-site stormwater discharges from roofs of non-residential buildings to
privately maintained stormwater facilities that utilize a permissive rainwater harvesting
system that complies with the Department of Ecology's requirements and is approved by
the Municipal Services Director.
ORDINANCE NO.2570
PAGE 3 July 13,2010
E.Approval of credit shall be indicated by a credit application that is signed by the Municipal
Services Director.Approved credits are effective for the first full month's billing cycle following
the date of approval.Credits may be approved for multiple billing cycles,provided that
conditions of approval are continuously met by the applicant.Credits are not retroactive to
current or prior billings.Credits for future billing cycles may be revoked by the Municipal
Services Director if on-site conditions change;if federal,state,or local regulations change
such that on-site stormwater treatment facilities are no longer current or acceptable;or if the
ordinance for stormwater is revised by City Council.
F.The above stormwater rates will become effective March 1,2010.
13.12.060 Payment of Accounts:
A.Water,sewer,garbage,and stormwater bills shall be the responsibility of and billed directly to
the property owner,unless the property owner wishes the bill sent to another address,the
same shall be due and payable within thirty (30)days of the billing date.If the property owner
wishes the bill sent to another address,the property owner first must execute a form provided
by the City of Moses Lake indicating the property owner's desires.The form shall include the
property owner's name and address,the address to which the bill shall be sent,and a
statement that if the person at the address to which the bill is sent moves and leaves an unpaid
balance,the property owner assumes responsibility for the bill.The billing dates for utility
accounts shall be as follows:
Routes 1 through 15 on the 20th of each month
Routes 16 through 29 on the 30th of each month
Routes 50 through 60, 70,and 71 on the 10th of each month
B.The property owners of commercial accounts and governmental agencies may sign
agreements requesting that their monthly statements be mailed to service addresses.The
statement will contain the same information referred to in subsection A.
C.The city reserves the right to cut off the water supply from the premises.The water supply
may be cut off ifeither the watercharge,sewercharge,or the stormwater charge is delinquent,
and should the water supply be turned off for failure to pay either the sewer charge,water
charge,or stormwater charge when due,the water supply shall not be turned on until all
delinquent charges have been paid in full.A service charge shall be assessed as set forth in
Subsection B of 13.12.085 and shall be added to the amount past due and will be billed on the
next month's statement.
D.The city shall have a lien against the premises for unpaid water,sewer,and stormwater
charges as provided by the laws of the state.
E.Advance payments may be made on any garbage,water,sewer,or stormwater account.
F.Water service will not be terminated if there is a past due water,sewer,or stormwater charge
of ten dollars ($10)or less,subject to subsection G.
G.No water or sewer bills shall be allowed to be more than sixty (60)days past due regardless
of the past due amount.If a water,sewer,or stormwater account is to become sixty (60)days
past due,water service shall be terminated as provided herein before the sixtieth (60th)day
ends.
H.No garbage,water,sewer,or stormwater account will be transferred to another person,
partnership,corporation,or other entity unless the account is brought current prior to the
i )requested transfer.
ORDINANCE NO.2570
PAGE 4 July 13,2010
I.Property served by more than one (1)meter must keep all accounts current in accordance with
this chapter in order to avoid water service being terminated to all meters serving the property.
Section 2.This ordinance shall take effect and be in force five (5)days after its passage and publication
of its summary as provided by law.
Adopted by the City Council and signed by its Mayor on July 13,2010.
JonU-arfe,Mayor
ATTEST:
Ronald R.Cone,'Finance Director
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
James A.Whitaker,City Attorney
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