15.44.050 - Waters diverted from public sewerage system—Measurement—Reduction in charges.
A. In the event that it is established to the satisfaction of the department that all or a portion of the water consumed does not and cannot enter the public sanitary sewerage system, then such water not reaching the system shall be excluded from the computation of the charge for sewerage service. In such event, the department may require or shall permit the installation of additional meters at the customer's or interested party's expense in such a manner as to measure either the quantity of water actually excluded from the public sanitary sewerage system or the actual quantity of water discharged thereto. Meters shall be of a type suitable for the service which they are to perform, shall meet with the approval of the department, and shall be installed and maintained in a manner satisfactory to the department. In the event that it is desired to meter the water excluded or diverted from the public sanitary sewerage system, then all outlets for such water shall be consolidated and measured by one single meter. In the event that it is desired to meter the actual flow to the sewer, the meter shall be installed in a suitable manner. All such meters or measuring devices shall be under the control of the department, and may be tested, inspected or repaired by the department whenever the department deems it necessary. All repairs thereto shall be made at the expense of the person owning the meter.
B. In the event that the department finds it is not practical to measure either the actual sewage and industrial waste flow or the flow of diverted water for commercial and industrial customers, it may, at its discretion, approve some other manner of computing or estimating the amount of water diverted from or discharged to the public sanitary sewerage system. Effective July 1, 2007, the department shall implement a method for computing or estimating the amount of water diverted from the public sanitary sewerage system by residential customers based upon an average of the customer's monthly usage during the months of January, February and March. Such residential customers shall not be billed for sewerage service for the estimated amount of water diverted from the sanitary sewerage system. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A. of this section to the contrary, no residential customer shall be required to install an additional meter or meters for the purpose of determining the amount of water diverted from the public sanitary sewerage system in order to be eligible for a billing adjustment pursuant to this subsection.
C. Also, in the event that the department finds it is not practical to make an actual measurement of the waste discharge from the premises of the customer into the public sanitary sewerage system, the department may, at its discretion, accept as the volume of waste discharged from the premises as shown by water meters of the department or water meters approved by the department through which meter water is sold or used by the customer.
D. Customers, other than those residential customers eligible for a billing adjustment pursuant to subsection B. of this section, requesting consideration for a reduction in sewerage service charges because of water excluded from the public sanitary sewerage system shall make written application to the department for such consideration, giving their name, address, account number and supporting data fully describing all sources of water, as well as the disposition of water alleged not to be entering the public sanitary sewerage system. The application shall be accompanied by a sketch to approximate scale showing the plan of the property, water distribution system, sewer layout, existing meters and proposed meters and the scheme proposed for determining the quantity of water entering the public sanitary sewerage system.
E. Reserved.
(Ord. BL2021-794 § 1, 2021; Amdt. 1 to Ord. BL2012-218 § 1, 2012; Ord. BL2012-218 § 1, 2012; Ord. BL2006-1186 § 1, 2006; prior code § 40-1-160)
