Measurement of water, determination and payment of charges.
Columbus City Codes § 1147.14
in effect1147.14 - Measurement of water, determination and payment of charges.
A proportionate charge shall be made to all users that discharge wastewater, either directly or indirectly, into the city sewerage system. Such charges shall be based on the quantity of water used as measured by a water meter or through the use of a sewage flow meter and the users wastewater strength classification as determined in accordance with this chapter. All water and sewage flow meters and their installation shall meet the acceptability of the director.
(a) In the event a lot, parcel of land, building premises, municipal corporation or other political subdivision, discharging sanitary sewage, industrial wastewater, water or other liquids into the city sewerage system, either directly or indirectly, is a user of water supplied by the Division of Water of the city, and the quantity of water used is measured by a water meter acceptable to the city's Director of Columbus Water & Power, then, in each such case, the quantity of water used, as measured by said meter, shall be used to determine the sewer charge as provided in this chapter.
(b) In the event a lot, parcel of land, building, premises, municipal corporation or other political subdivision discharging sanitary sewage, industrial wastewater, water or other liquids into the city sewerage system, either directly or indirectly, is a user of water supplied by the Division of Water of the city, and the quantity of water used is not measured by a water meter or is measured by a water meter not acceptable to the Director of Columbus Water & Power, then, in each such case, the quantity of water used, as measured by said meter, shall be used to determine the sewer charge as provided in this chapter.
(c) In the event a lot, parcel of land, building, premises, municipal corporation or other political subdivision, discharging sanitary sewage, industrial wastewater, water or other liquids into the city sewerage system, either directly or indirectly, is not a user of water supplied by the Division of Water of the city, and the water used thereon or therein is not measured by a water meter or is measured by a water meter not acceptable to the Director of Columbus Water & Power, then, in each such case, the owner or other interested party shall, at his or its own expense, install and maintain a water meter acceptable to the director and the quantity of water used, as measured by said meter shall be used to determine the sewer charge as provided in this chapter.
(d) In the event a lot, parcel of land, building, premises, municipal corporation or other political subdivision, discharging sanitary sewage, industrial wastewater, water or other liquids into the city sewerage system, either directly or indirectly, is a user of the water supplied by the Division of Water of the city, and, in addition, uses water from another source which is not measured by a water meter or is measured by a water meter not acceptable to the Director of Columbus Water & Power, then, in each case, the owner or other interested party shall, at his or its own expense, install and maintain water meters satisfactory to the Director on all supplies and the quantity of water used to determine the sewer charge shall be the sum of the quantities of water measured by the several meters.
(e) In the event a lot, parcel of land, building, premises, municipal corporation or other political subdivision, discharges sanitary sewage, industrial wastewater, water or other liquids into the city sewerage system, either directly or indirectly, and it can be shown by such party, to the satisfaction of the Director of Columbus Water & Power, that a portion of the water as measured by the water meter or meters does not and cannot enter the sewerage system, then the Director of Columbus Water & Power may determine in such manner and by such method as the Director may find practicable the percentage of metered water entering the sewerage system, and the quantity of water used to determine the sewer charge shall be that percentage, so determined, of the quantity of water measured by the water meter or meters, or, the Director of Columbus Water & Power may require or permit the installation of acceptable additional meters at such party's expense and in such a manner as to determine the quantity of water actually entering the sewerage system, in which case the quantity of water used to determine the sewer charge shall be the quantity of water actually entering the sewerage system as so determined. In the event such additional meters are installed, an additional charge of two ($2.00) dollars shall be made to cover the cost of reading and computing the flow of each such meter and such additional charge shall be added to each sewer charge bill rendered as otherwise herein provided and described. The two ($2.00) dollar charge is based on a quarterly billing cycle so the maximum annual charge will be eight ($8.00) dollars.
(f) The sewer charge provided in this section shall be payable at the office of the city treasurer and, at the option of the Director of Columbus Water & Power, shall be made payable at the same time as the water bill for the lot, parcel of land, building, premises, municipal corporation or other political subdivision, payable.
(g) The Director of Columbus Water & Power may require, as a condition to any sewerage agreements entered into as hereinabove provided, that the city shall be furnished with information and data as to all sources of water supply, other than the Columbus' Division of Water, which may be in existence or may later be developed within the confines of the premises covered in such agreement, such data and information, in the case of wells, to include the location, size, capacity and depth thereof.
(Ord. 478-92; Ord. No. 2398-2012, § 9, 12-3-2012; Ord. No. 2019-2021, § 1, 7-26-2021; Ord. No. 1730-2024, § 2, 7-1-2024; Ord. No. 3083-2025, § 1, 11-24-2025; Ord. No. 1882-2026, § 1, 6-29-2026)
Source: City of Columbus, City Codes and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/oh/columbus/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT11WASEELCO_CH1147SECH_1147.14MEWADEPACHFetched: 10/27/2026