RATES AND CHARGES

San Antonio City Code ch. 34, art. III, div. 4

in effect

San Antonio City Code § 34-226 Establishment of rates and schedules, rates schedules, and affordability discount analysis.

Sec. 34-226. - Establishment of rates and schedules, rates schedules, and affordability discount analysis. The schedule of sewer service rates and charges contained in Schedule A for residential sewer service customers, the schedule of sewer service rates and charges contained in Schedule B for general sewer service customers, the sewer service rates and charges contained in Schedule C for wholesale sewer service customers, and the schedule of sewer service rates and charges in Schedule G, as amended attached hereto, shall be effective for all consumption on or about January 1, 2024, as appropriate, and shall be the lawful rates for sewer service to be charged by the system except as specified below: Customers approved by the SAWS for participation in the flat rate sewer program in accordance with section 34-226.2 shall pay sewer charges as required under the flat rate sewer program. (Ord. No. 80330, § 1, 6-16-94; Ord. No. 99995, § 2(Att. I), 11-18-04; Ord. No. 101682, § 1(Att. I), 11-17-05; Ord. No. 2015-11-19-0956, § 4(Att. I), 11-19-15, Res. No. 16-302, Att. III; Ord. No. 2017-12-07-0928, § 1(Att. I), 12-7-17; Ord. No. 2022-11-10-0867, § 1(Att. I), 11-10-22; Res. No. 2023-198, 10-3-23)

San Antonio City Code § 34-226.1 Methods for establishing monthly residential charges.

Sec. 34-226.1. - Methods for establishing monthly residential charges. (a) Definitions. (1) Entity. A city, town, political or commercial subdivision, district, association, military installation or facility that establishes, operates and maintains a sewer collection system within its jurisdictional boundaries, and contracts with the San Antonio Water System to connect that sewer collection system to the regional sewage transportation and treatment works in order that the San Antonio Water System can provide for the transportation and treatment of sewage discharged by the entity. (2) Winter averaging sewer charge period. The period of water and sewer service during the three (3) complete consecutive billing periods commencing on or after November 15 of each year and terminating on or after the completion of three (30 full billing cycles in March of each year. During the three (3) complete consecutive billing periods the system shall establish monthly sewer service charges for customers based upon their average monthly water consumption during the three (3) complete consecutive billing periods. The customer must receive sewer service at one location during the entire three (3) consecutive billing periods in order to establish a "winter average." (3) Interim averaging sewer charge period. The period of water and sewer service during three (3) complete monthly billing periods during which the system establishes monthly sewer service charges for customers based upon their average monthly water consumption during that period. This interim averaging sewer charge period is to be used only in determining monthly sewer service charges when the customer has not yet established a winter average by the method outlined in (2) above. (4) Winter average charge. The monthly sewer service charge established by the system during the winter averaging sewer charge period. This charge is the basis for monthly billings until completion of the next entire winter averaging sewer charge period. (5) Interim average charge. The monthly sewer service charge established by the system during the interim averaging sewer charge period. This charge is the basis for monthly billings until completion of the next entire winter averaging sewer charge period and becomes the basis for subsequent monthly billings. (b) Final billings. For all final billings, either the winter average charge, or the interim average charge, or the unaveraged residential charge or the unmetered residential charge, whichever is in effect at the termination of service for residential customers, will be prorated by dividing the applicable sewer service charge by thirty (30), and multiplying by the number of days that sewer service was actually received during the final month. However, final billings shall not be greater than the applicable sewer service charge and shall not be less than the minimum sewer service charge stated in Rate Schedules A and B, attached hereto and incorporated herein. (c) New customers who have not established monthly sewer service charge by previous residency within the service area during the preceding six months. New customers who move into the service area after the first day of a billing period and before the last day of that billing period will be billed on a proration basis by dividing the applicable I.C.L. or O.C.L. unaveraged residential charge, stated in Rate Schedules A and B, attached hereto and incorporated herein by thirty (30), and multiplying by the number of days that sewer service was actually received. However, the initial bill for service received during the first partial billing period shall not be less than the minimum I.C.L. or O.C.L. sewer service charge stated in Rate Schedules A and B, attached hereto and incorporated herein. New customers will pay the I.C.L. or O.C.L. unaveraged residential charge, stated in Rate Schedules A and B, attached hereto and incorporated herein, during the first three (3) complete billing periods while an interim average charge based upon water consumption is established. The interim average charges shall not be greater than the I.C.L. or O.C.L. unaveraged residential charge, stated in Rate Schedules A and B, attached hereto and incorporated herein, nor be less than the minimum monthly I.C.L. or O.C.L. sewer service charge stated in Rate Schedules A and B, attached hereto and incorporated herein. Once the interim average charge is established, it shall be the monthly sewer service charge through the end of the next complete winter averaging sewer charge period. Once the winter average charge is established, the interim average charge shall no longer be the basis for the monthly service charge. (d) Initial billings for customers relocating within the service area. Customers who relocate within the service area will receive an initial bill at their new residence based upon either the winter average charge, or the interim average charge, or the unaveraged residential charge or the unmetered residential charge, depending upon which charge has been the basis for monthly billings at the previous residence. The applicable charge will be prorated by dividing it by thirty (30), and multiplying by the number of days that sewer service is actually received during the first month at the new residence. However, initial billings shall not be greater than the applicable monthly sewer service charge and shall not be less than the minimum I.C.L. or O.C.L. sewer service charge stated in Rate Schedules A and B, attached hereto and incorporated herein. After this initial billing, the customers described above will continue to be billed monthly sewer service charges based upon the full monthly charge established at their previous residence. This applicable charge shall serve as the basis for monthly billings until the end of the next complete winter averaging sewer charge period. (e) Alternative methods. The above definitions and methods (1-5) for established monthly residential sewer service charges shall apply to, and be implemented by, all water purveyors within the service area except those water purveyors that have submitted alternative definitions and methods which have been approved by the system. (Ord. No. 80330, § 1, 6-16-94)

San Antonio City Code § 34-226.2 Flat rate sewer program.

Sec. 34-226.2. - Flat rate sewer program. (a) The purpose of this program is to allow an alternate method of establishing a sewer charge for general accounts. (b) Any general user who uses water in their daily activities which is not discharged into the sewer system, may submit a written request to customer service for a reduction in the volume of waste estimated to be discharged from the premise. (c) In the event a customer requests to participate in the program, the system shall follow the flat rate sewer program procedure set out in Schedule 2 which is attached hereto for customer notification and convenience. In the event the system duly amends such procedure from time to time, an updated version of such procedure shall be supplied to the City of San Antonio City Clerk. Copies of the system's most current flat rate sewer program procedure shall also be available to all system customers upon request at the system's customer service locations. (Ord. No. 80330, § 1, 6-16-94)

San Antonio City Code § 34-226.3 Industrial waste surcharges.

Sec. 34-226.3. - Industrial waste surcharges. (a) Persons or owners discharging industrial wastes which exhibit none of the characteristics of wastes prohibited by Ordinance Number 77784, or as may be amended, other than excessive BOD or TSS, but having a concentration in excess of normal domestic sewage, that is, concentrations of BOD in excess of two hundred fifty (250) mg/l and TSS in excess of two hundred fifty (250) mg/l, shall pretreat the industrial waste to meet the concentrations of normal domestic sewage; however, such excessive BOD and TSS waste may be accepted for treatment if all the following requirements are met: (1) The wastes will not cause damage to the collection system. (2) The wastes will not impair the system's treatment process. (3) The wastes will not cause contamination of POTW sludges thus limiting sludge disposal options or practices. (4) The person(s) or owners responsible for the wastes pays an industrial surcharge, in addition to the regular water and sewer charges, in accordance with the following cost factors and formula: V | = | Volume of water use reported in millions of gallons (MG) per month. BOD | = | Biochemical oxygen demand analyzed in accordance with the procedures approved under 40 CFR Part 136, or the latest Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved method, and reported in units of milligrams per liter (mg/l). TSS | = | Total suspended solids analyzed in accordance with the procedures approved under 40 CFR Part 136, or the latest Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved method, and reported in units of milligrams per liter (mg/l). Cost factor BOD = $1.40 Cost factor TSS = $3.24 IWS = Industrial waste surcharge computed in dollars as follows: IWS Volume of discharge (in MG per Month) [$1.40 × (BOD mg/l - 250 mg/l) + $3.24 × (TSS mg/l) - 250 mg/l]. (b) Surcharge review. (1) The San Antonio Water System as the Control Authority (CA) shall review the basis for determining surcharges at least once every two (2) years, or more frequently as needed. (2) The discharger may employ an independent registered professional engineer, at the discharger's cost, to perform additional sampling and analysis provided this activity is coordinated with the CA. Upon consideration of all available information, the CA shall determine the final values and/or charges to be assessed. (c) Sample point. (1) Each sampling point shall be installed and maintained by the discharger so that any authorized representative of the CA may readily and safely obtain samples of the flow at all times. (2) Each sampling point shall be near the outlet of each sewer, drain, pipe, or channel which connects with the sanitary sewer or wastewater facility. (3) Each sampling point shall be designed and constructed to prevent infiltration by ground and surface water and maintained so that any authorized representative of the CA may readily and safely obtain samples of the flow at all times. (4) Before beginning construction of a sampling point, a person shall submit plans to the CA for review and approval to ensure compliance with these provisions. Plans must include the sewage metering device if one (1) is to be installed. (d) Measurement of waste volumes. (1) The volume of wastes may be determined by the same methods used to calculate the general sewer service rate. (2) On premises where all or part of the water is obtained from a source other than the public water supply and no sewage metering device is installed, the owner shall provide and maintain a metering device of a type approved by the CA to measure sources of private water. (e) Sampling of wastes. (1) The CA shall take samples of waste discharges from establishments as often as determined necessary to adequately monitor and control the discharges. If an owner desires additional samples, the owner shall pay the cost of the additional service. (2) Samples collected by the CA may be either flow-proportional or time proportional composite samples as appropriate to achieve the most representative samples, or via the best available sampling method given the constraints and limitations present at the discharge point source. (f) Sampling and analysis fees. A person discharging concentrations of BOD and/or TSS in excess of normal domestic sewage concentrations shall compensate the CA for the cost of sample collection and analysis when an industrial surcharge is established. (g) Industrial surcharges for class groups. (1) The CA shall assess an industrial surcharge rate for each class group based on waste strength determinations established by averaging grab or composite samples or both, taken from a representative number of establishments in each group, and shall apply this rate to the water consumption or metered wastewater of the establishment. If the establishment is within a larger facility for which water usage is determined from a master meter, the San Antonio Water System Customer Service Department (CSD) shall determine an estimated volume for the establishment on which the surcharge rate is applied. CSD shall then add the appropriate industrial surcharge to billings for regular water and sewer service for each establishment classified into a class group. (2) If an establishment contains operations from more than one of the class groups, CSD determines that the surcharge rate for a particular class group would not adequately compensate the system for its cost of treatment, CSD shall add an appropriate industrial waste surcharge to adequately compensate the system for its cost of treatment. (3) The CA may, from time to time, revise surcharge class groups based on analysis of current samples. (h) The surcharge amounts shown in section 34-226.3(a) above are effective January 1, 2025. The fee amount shall be adjusted on January 1 of each year thereafter by the percentage difference (greater than zero (0)) between the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) as it is calculated by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics at the end of the month of July prior to the next year and as it was calculated at the end of the month of July one (1) year earlier. SAWS will periodically perform a cost of service analysis to ensure that the fee charged does not exceed the cost of providing the services. (Ord. No. 80330, § 1, 6-16-94; Ord. No. 97395, 3-27-03; Ord. No. 2014-06-19-0472, § 1(Exh. A), 6-19-14; Ord. No. 2015-11-19-0956, § 4(Att. I), 11-19-15; Ord. No. 2022-11-10-0867, § 2(Att. II), 11-10-22; Res. No. 2023-198, 10-3-23; Res. No. 2024-227, § 7(Att. IV), 11-5-24)

San Antonio City Code § 34-226.4 Pass-through of sewer uplift assistance program fee.

Sec. 34-226.4. - Pass-through of sewer uplift assistance program fee. The assessment of a pass-through of the Sewer Uplift Assistance Program Fee (Sewer UAP Fee) to all non-UAP sewer customers in the Residential and General classes is authorized. The initial monthly pass-through of the Sewer UAP Fee shall commence on or after January 1, 2023. Such initial pass-through, while estimated to be $0.1610 per thousand gallons of billed sewer usage, is subject to change, based on the formula set out herein. The San Antonio Water System is delegated the authority to administratively adjust such pass-through on an annual basis, on or about January 1 of each year, in accordance with the following formula: SEWER UPLIFT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FEE ADJUSTMENT An adjustment will be made to the Sewer UAP Fee annually, beginning January 1, 2024, based on the following formula: the annual revenue from the fee collected by SAWS for the prior twelve-month period beginning in January plus the amount of the over-recovery or under-recovery of the prior twelve-month costs of sewer service to UAP customers, divided by the project annual sewer usage, yields the fee on a dollars-per-gallon basis. Sewer UAP Fee billed revenue by SAWS for prior twelve (12) months. PLUS Over-recovery/under-recovery of the prior twelve-month total costs of sewer service to UAP sewer customers from the application of UAP sewer rates. PLUS Projected UAP cost increases from program growth and rate changes. DIVIDED BY Projected annual sewer usage subject to UAP Fee for the next twelve (12) months. DIVIDED BY Projected annual sewer usage for the next twelve (12) months. EQUALS Adjusted Sewer UAP Fee rate on a dollars-per-gallon basis of consumption, for the next twelve (12) months period beginning in the month of January. The San Antonio Water System is directed to show such pass-through as a line item on each customer bill. (Ord. No. 2022-11-10-0867, § 2(Att. II), 11-10-22)

San Antonio City Code § 34-227 Determination in extenuating circumstances.

Sec. 34-227. - Determination in extenuating circumstances. The president/chief executive officer of the system is hereby authorized to designate a committee comprised of representatives from quality control and customer service empowered to establish special monthly commercial rates in cases where extenuating circumstances exist, such as the use of water in a manufactured product, the use of water from a consumer's own supply where there is no meter, excessive irrigation, etc. The committee shall, upon review of the facts, make a determination as to sewer service charges in such instances.

San Antonio City Code § 34-231 Reserved.

San Antonio City Code § 34-232 Reserved.

San Antonio City Code § 34-233 Collection of charges.

Sec. 34-233. - Collection of charges. The president/chief executive officer of the system or his designated representative shall negotiate with other water purveyors in order to make necessary arrangements for the collection of the sewer charges prescribed in this division by such water purveyors. (Ord. No. 80330, § 1, 6-16-94)

San Antonio City Code § 34-234 Reserved.

San Antonio City Code § 34-235 Reserved.

San Antonio City Code § 34-236 Lift station maintenance fee.

Sec. 34-236. - Lift station maintenance fee. A customer-developer wishing to install a lift station as an element of an off-site wastewater collection system to serve a specific area must meet all SAWS regulatory requirements as they relate to lift stations and, in addition, pay to SAWS a one-time lift station maintenance fee of two hundred thirty-nine thousand six hundred and ninety-one dollars ($239,691.00) that will be used to offset annual lift station maintenance expenses over a ten-year period. The fee amount is effective January 1, 2025. The fee amount shall be adjusted on January 1 of each year thereafter by the percentage difference (greater than zero (0)) between the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) as it is calculated by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics at the end of the month of July prior to the next year and as it was calculated at the end of the month of July one (1) year earlier, and subsequently rounded to the nearest dollar. SAWS will periodically perform a cost of service analysis to ensure that the fee charged does not exceed the cost of providing the services. (Ord. No. 2007-12-13-1345, § 2(Att. B), 12-13-07; Ord. No. 2011-12-08-1004, § 2(Exh. L), 12-8-11; Ord. No. 2017-12-07-0928, § 3(Att. II), 12-7-17; Res. No. 18-262, 11-13-18; Res. No. 19-280, 7(Att. V), 11-5-19; Ord. No. 2022-11-10-0867, § 1(Att. I), 11-10-22; Res. No. 2023-198, 10-3-23; Res. No. 2024-227, § 7(Att. IV), 11-5-24)

San Antonio City Code § 34-237 Dye testing fee.

Sec. 34-237. - Dye testing fee. A person requesting that the system provide a dye test to confirm the presence of a connection of a property to the system's sewer system shall be assessed a fee of ninety dollars ($90.00) for the conduct of the test. The fee amount is effective January 1, 2025. The fee amount shall be adjusted on January 1 of each year thereafter by the percentage difference (greater than zero (0)) between the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) as it is calculated by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics at the end of the month of July prior to the next year and as it was calculated at the end of the month of July one (1) year earlier, and subsequently rounded to the nearest dollar. SAWS will periodically perform a cost of service analysis to ensure that the fee charged does not exceed the cost of providing the services. (Ord. No. 2011-12-08-1004, § 2(Exh. L), 12-8-11; Ord. No. 2017-12-07-0928, § 3(Att. II), 12-7-17; Res. No. 18-262, 11-13-18; Res. No. 19-280, 7(Att. V), 11-5-19; Ord. No. 2022-11-10-0867, § 1(Att. I), 11-10-22; Res. No. 2023-198, 10-3-23; Res. No. 2024-227, § 7(Att. IV), 11-5-24)

San Antonio City Code § 34-238 Reserved.

Source: City of San Antonio, City Code, City Charter and Unified Development Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/san_antonio/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICO_CH34WASE_ARTIIISESERA_DIV4RACHFetched: 10/27/2026