A. The charge for each connection shall be the number of ERUs assessed to that connection times the basic rate for one ERU as set forth in the rate table adopted by the city council and as amended from time to time. In no case shall a charge be less than minimums established by ordinance of the city council.

B. Commercial users, other than hotels and restaurants, will be allowed to install, at their own expense, an appropriate device to aid in determining sewage flows. When installed, this device may be used, at the discretion of the city engineer, to determine the flow of sewage for that user, and may be the basis for the billing charge. Flows will be calculated using the average monthly flow over a consecutive 12-month period. The use of flow based billing for commercial accounts shall not reduce the load BOD and TSS load determined by the unreduced flow used in the adopted rate schedule, unless a reduction in these loads has also been demonstrated. For purposes of determining BOD and TSS loads Tables 15 through 19 in the city of Sedona 2013 Wastewater System Rate Study provided by Hoag Consulting, LLC January 17, 2014 shall be used, when the table addresses the use category for which a rate modification is being requested. After the initial adjustment, in order to continue to use flow based rates the city must receive by May 1st 12 months of flow information. The 12 months shall be measured from January 1st to December 31st. The city reserves the right to require that owners using flow based rates sign a release allowing the city to receive relevant billing information directly from their water provider or in the alternative to require that the owners provide the flow information in the required form directly to the city. The monthly charge beginning in July and continuing to June 30th following shall be based upon the average monthly flow for the 12 months of flow. Reversion from a flow based charge to a square footage charge for the monthly charge shall only be allowed one year after the written request for reversion.

Flow based billing shall be determined based on a fixed charge per account plus an amount per unit of flow as determined in a fee schedule adopted by council for each category of use for which flow based billing may be used.

C. For built properties that may be vacant or unoccupied and have sewer availability, the city will charge the minimum monthly service charge rate as adopted by the city council. For vacant unimproved land that has sewer availability, the city will charge a “capacity standby charge” that is designed to recoup the city’s costs for maintenance and depreciation on wastewater facilities. The amount of this charge shall be set forth in the rate tables adopted by the city from time to time in accordance with the procedure set forth in SCC 13.20.010.

D. Restaurants and hotels shall be billed using either a square footage determined per SCC 13.15.060(B)(6), room, or water based charge after June 30, 2015. Prior to July 1, 2015, restaurants may be billed using a per seat charge. Restaurants not having 12 months of water use history shall use a square footage basis for monthly charges after June 30, 2015. Restaurants not having a water based charge shall allow the city to measure their square footage to determine the appropriate charge or in the absence of such allowance the city may use 80 percent of the building floor area using the exterior area of the building, plus any outside dining area, to determine the monthly rate. Change from a flow based charge to a square footage charge for the monthly charge shall only be allowed one year after the written request for reversion. Hotels offering only food processed off the hotel site for their guests using only disposable serving plates, cups, and utensils are not classified as having a restaurant for purposes of monthly service billings.

E. Information for water usage based charges shall be presented by May 1st of each year for the prior 12-month period ending December of the prior year. The new usage based rate will be effective July 1st for the following 12-month period. To qualify for a water usage based charge, the customer must have an independent, dedicated (unshared) water service metering system. Customers who do not have a full 12-month calendar year of metered water usage may provide the most current 12-month period, at the discretion of the finance director. The city reserves the right to utilize an area based calculation to determine monthly charges if timely provided water usage information is unavailable or incomplete. If the city is unable to obtain complete water usage information from directly from the water providers, the burden to provide complete and accurate water usage information is on the customer.

F. In case of change of ownership for an account having flow based charges the new owner shall continue to pay the monthly flow based charge previously determined for the commercial account prior to change in ownership. In the case of closure of an account the owner shall be responsible to pay the flow based charge until June 30th next.

G. After July 1, 2015, in the case of a restaurant, or hotel, when the city has not been provided 12 months of flow information the square footage or per room charge may be used until 12 months of flow information is provided to the city. The 12 months of flow information shall be the basis for monthly charges until July 1st of the next year.

H. Between July 1, 2014, and June 30, 2015, any restaurant or hotel may provide 12 months of flow information to establish flow based charges. The charges shall be based on the average of the 12 months of flow and shall be subject to revision after June 30, 2015, so that annual modifications in the monthly charge will be effective on July 1st of each year. The city reserves the right to require that owners using flow based rates sign a release allowing the city to receive relevant billing information directly from their water provider or in the alternative to require that the owners provide the flow information in the required form directly to the city.

I. When rates are based on measures other than flow volume or area the director of finance may request that an annual statement of units be provided to the city by May 1st of each year. The time frame covered by the statement of units shall be for a period of one year and may consist of a month by month statement of the number of units so that it may be determined if a maximum value of units or an average number of units per month is the appropriate measure on which to base the monthly rate.

J. The city or property owner may question the completeness or accuracy of the information used to calculate charges. The city engineer and director of finance shall determine such questions and provide the correct unit upon which charges are to be determined. The determination shall be subject to review by the wastewater hearing officer according to the procedures in SCC 13.15.080(B) through (C)(4)(b). The hearing officer shall make a determination which shall be binding to the extent it complies with the reference procedures. Written notice of the hearing officer determination shall be sent within 15 days of the hearing to the city engineer, the director of finance, and the property owner. [Code 2006 § 13-6-2. Ord. 2009-04, 4-14-2009; Ord. 2010-07 § 1, 4-13-2010; Res. 2010-08 § 3 Exh. B, 4-13-2010; Ord. 2014-06 § 1, 5-27-2014; Res. 2014-10 Exh. A, 5-27-2014].