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CITY OF COLTON <br />AGENDA REPORT <br />FOR COUNCIL MEETING OF JUNE 17 1997 <br />SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER <br />13.16 OF THE COLTON MUNICIPAL CODE ESTABLISHING SEWER <br />RATES FOR MULTI -FAMILY UNITS AND ESTABLISHING GUIDELINES <br />FOR ESTIMATING WASTEWATER FLOW FROM COMMERCIAL, <br />INDUSTRIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL USERS FOR CAPACITY CHARGES <br />It is the opinion of staff that a two tiered rate is appropriate for these two types of sewer <br />service, but that the charges should again be modified as follows: <br />1 A charge based upon, the water going into the complex should be <br />maintained. This amount of water sets the maximum limit of the resultant <br />contribution to the sewer system. <br />CONCLUSION: This rate should be set at $0.59/ccf. <br />2. The utility has made an investment in the sewer system such that it will <br />accommodate the maximum output of each complex unit as though all of <br />the units were occupied. This investment is, and should be, assigned to <br />the multi -family class and needs to be recovered as part of the ongoing <br />revenue requirements. As such, it is reasonable to charge each of the <br />units for their allocated investment. Even though each unit has a <br />responsibility towards the plant need to provide the service, it is not <br />always used because of the existence of vacancies. <br />Staff analyzed vacancy rates with the assistance of other City departments and <br />has determined that City wide, there is an approximate 26% vacancy rate. <br />Applying this rate to the residential sewer charge would produce a unit charge <br />of $12.00/mo. A charge per unit, occupied or not, will be applied each month to <br />bring the complex up to their share of the costs to operate the sewer system. <br />This would provide full cost recovery to the utility for the service. <br />CONCLUSION: The per unit charge should be $12.00/mo. <br />DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS OF GUIDELINES FOR CAPACITY CHARGES: <br />In 1989 Krieger and Stewart prepared a sewer rate study which included Guidelines for <br />Estimating Wastewater Flow from Commercial, Industrial and Institutional Users for <br />Capacity Charges. On April 18, 1989 Council adopted Ordinance No. 0-7-89 <br />establishing sewer servic e charges and wastewater capacity charges. Inadvertently the <br />attachment establishing the guidelines for estimating wastewater flow from commercial, <br />industrial and institutional users for capacity charges was not included in the <br />Ordinance. The guidelines have been in use since April, 1989, without problems, <br />Page 2 of 3 Item No. <br />