NOTICE
The City of Oak Hill, a municipal corporation, will hold a hearing before the final vote on a proposed ordinance, the principal object of which is the increase of sewer rates for customers of the sewer system operated by the Oak Hill Sanitary Board. The title of such ordinance is ” AN ORDINANCE SETTING FORTH RATES, FEES, AND CHARGES FOR SERVICE TO CUSTOMERS OF THE SEWER SYSTEM OF THE CITY OF OAK HILL, WEST VIRGINIA”
The Ordinance proposes to eliminate the surcharge presently charged to the customers of the former Arbuckle Public Service District, and to adopt the following rates:
SCHEDULE II
A. Step 1:
Applicability: Applicable in entire territory served for service rendered after October 26, 2023.
Availability: Available for general domestic, commercial, and industrial service.
Rates: (Customers with Metered Water Supply)
First 2,000 gallons $17.30 per 1,000 gallons
Next 38,000 gallons $15.10 per 1,000 gallons
All over 40,000 gallons $13.70 per 1,000 gallons
Flat Rate Charge (Customers with Non-Metered Water Supply)
Equivalent of 4,000 gallons of water usage, $69.20 per month
Minimum Charge
Each customer shall pay a minimum charge of $34.60 per month, which is the equivalent of 2,000 gallons.
B. Step 2:
Applicability: Applicable in entire territory served for service rendered after April 1, 2024.
Availability: Available for general domestic, commercial, and industrial service.
Rates: (Customers with Metered Water Supply)
First 2,000 gallons $18.90 per 1,000 gallons
Next 38,000 gallons $17.90 per 1,000 gallons
All over 40,000 gallons $17.10 per 1,000 gallons
Flat Rate Charge (Customers with Non-Metered Water Supply)
Equivalent of 4,000 gallons of water usage, $75.60 per month
Minimum Charge
Each customer shall pay a minimum charge of $34.60 per month, which is the equivalent of 2,000 gallons.
C. Step 3:
Applicability: Applicable in entire territory served for service rendered 90 days prior to the initial installment is due on the bonds issued for the Former Arbuckle Public Service District area collection system improvement project or substantial completion of the Former Arbuckle Public Service District area collection system improvement project, whichever occurs first.
Availability: Available for general domestic, commercial, and industrial service.
Rates: (Customers with Metered Water Supply)
$21.20 per 1,000 gallons
Flat Rate Charge (Customers with Non-Metered Water Supply)
Equivalent of 4,000 gallons of water usage, $84.80 per month
Minimum Charge
Each customer shall pay a minimum charge of $42.40 per month, which is the equivalent of 2,000 gallons.
SCHEDULE III
Applicable in entire territory served for service after October 26, 2023.
Leak Adjustment
$8.00 per 1,000 gallons of water is to be used when the bill reflects unusual water consumption which can be attributed to eligible leakage on the customer’s side of the meter. This rate shall be applied to all such consumption that is above twice the customer’s historical average monthly usage.
Delayed Payment Penalty
The above schedule is net. On all accounts not paid in full when due, ten percent (10%) will be added to the net current amount unpaid. This delayed payment penalty is not interest and is to be collected only once for each bill where it is appropriate.
Disconnect/Reconnect/Administrative Fees
Water service will not be restored until all past due sewer bills have been paid in full and all accrued penalties plus a disconnection charge of $50.00 have been paid.
There shall be a $50.00 reconnection charge paid prior to restoration of water service which has been previously disconnected for any reason.
In the event that Utility staff or agent collect money at the customer’s residence in order to stop disconnection, an administrative fee of $50.00 shall be paid in addition to other charges to prevent disconnection.
Returned Check Charge
A service charge of $25.00 will be imposed upon any customer whose check for payment of charges is returned by the bank for any reason.
Sewer Service Connection Charge
The following charges are to be made whenever a utility installs a new tap to serve an applicant.
A tap fee of $100.00 will be charged to all customers applying for new service before construction is completed adjacent to the customer’s premises in connection with a certificate proceeding before the Commission. This pre-construction tap fee will be invalid after completion of construction adjacent to an applicant’s premises that is associated with a certificate proceeding.
A tap fee of $500.00, or the greater of the actual cost of connection (solely determined by the Utility), will be charged to customers applying for service outside a certificate proceeding before the Commission for each new tap to the system.
EFT, ACH, Credit Card and Drop Box Payments
A service charge will be imposed on EFT, ACH, Credit Card or Drop Box Payments. The amount shall be equal to the actual charges to the Utility from the financial institution for processing payment.
Security Deposit
Not to exceed two-twelfths (2/12) of the average annual usage of the customer applicant’s specific customer class, or fifty dollars, whichever is greater. This fee may be changed by applicable statutory provisions.
Municipal Excise Tax Surcharge
The Municipality listed below, having imposed a Public Utility Tax computed on the basis of 2% of revenues from sewer sales by the City of Oak Hill’s sewer utility within the corporate limits of such municipality, shall be billed as “surcharge” to the customers receiving service within said corporate limits.
The sewer utility is required to collect the Utility Tax pursuant to West Virginia Code 8-13-5a.
Municipality Surcharge Rate
City of Oak Hill 2% of the gross amount billed
SCHEDULE IV
Applicability
Applicable in entire territory served.
Surface or Ground Water Surcharge
An additional amount shall be charged where surface or ground water is introduced into the sanitary system where evidence of a violation exists.
Surcharge formula to be applied in cases where surface drainage is connected to the utility’s sewer system.
Applicability
Wherever the Utility has discovered that a customer’s roof drain, downspout, storm sewer, or other similar facilities conducting surface water have been connected with the City’s sewer system and such customer has failed to take appropriate action within thirty (30) days of receipt of a demand by the City in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the Public Service Commission to eliminate such connection, a surcharge will be imposed upon the customer calculated on the basis of the following formula:
S = A x R x .0006233 x C
S – The surcharge in dollars
A – The area under roof and/or the area of any other water collection surfacer connected to the sanitary sewer, in square feet.
R – The measured monthly rainfall, in inches .0006233 – A conversion factor to change
inches of rain x square feet of surface to thousands of gallons of water
C – The City’s approved rate per thousand gallons of metered water usage.
Notice to Customer
The utility shall not impose the surcharge unless, and until, the customer has been notified by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by hand delivery, that it has been established by smoke testing, dye testing, or on-sewer system at the customer’s location, and that the customer has not acted within thirty (30) days from receipt of such notice to divert the water from the sanitary sewer system.
Monthly Charge; Termination
The surcharge shall be calculated and imposed for each month that the condition continues to exist. Failure to pay the surcharge and/or correct the situation shall give rise to the possible termination of water service in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the Public Service Commission of West Virginia.
SCHEDULE V
Applicability
Applicable in entire territory served.
Surcharge Formula to be Applied in the Case of Users Producing Unusual Waste
The charge for the treatment of unusual waste will be calculated on the basis of the following formula:
Ci = VoVi + BoBi + Sosi
Ci = Charge to unusual users per year
Vo = Average unit cost of transport and treatment chargeable to volume, in dollars per gallon
Vi = Volume of waste from unusual users, in gallons per year
Bo = Average unit cost of treatment, chargeable to Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) in
dollars per year
Bi = Weight of BOD from unusual users in pounds per year
So = Average unit costs of treatment (including sludge treatment chargeable to total solids), in dollars per pound
Si = Weight of total solids from unusual users, in pounds, per year
When an unusual user is to be served, a preliminary study of its wastes, and the cost of transport and treatment thereof, will be made at the owner’s expense. Waste containing material which, in the judgment of the Utility, should not be introduced into the sewer system need not be handled by it. The results of this preliminary study will be used to determine the feasibility of the proposed service and the charge thereof, based upon the formula set out above.
Thereafter, unusual sewage service will be monitored on a regular basis and the conclusion of each fiscal year, based on the investigation aforesaid and the audit of the Utility records, new cost figures will be calculated for use in the above formula. The cost of establishing the monitoring facilities shall be paid for by the unusual user. Based on these audited figures, additional billings covering the past fiscal year will be made for payment by each unusual user, or refund given by the Utility, as the case may be. Such audited figures will then be used for the preliminary billing for the next year, at the end of which an adjustment will be made aforesaid.
SCHEDULE VI
Applicability
Applicable in entire territory served.
Availability
Available for industrial service.
Where the amount of sanitary sewage discharged into the Utility’s wastewater collection and/or treatment system by certain industrial plant or plants cannot be accurately determined by the use of the plant’s water meter or meters, and said plant cannot install a flow meter to measure such waste, a special charge or (50) gallons of water per each employee at the plant each working day.
SCHEDULE VII
Applicability
Applicable in entire territory served.
Availability
Available for wastewater and leachate haulers.
Rates
Commodity Charge – Each customer shall pay a commodity charge of $50.00 per 1,000 gallons per load. Load will be the actual capacity of the truck or other transport method of delivering wastewater and leachate. Actual capacity shall be determined, or verified solely, by the Utility.
Delayed Payment Penalty
The above schedule is net. On all current usage billings not paid in full when due, ten percent (10%) will be added to the net current amount unpaid. This delayed payment penalty is not interest and is to be collected only once for each bill where it is appropriate.
Returned Check Charge
A service charge of $25.00 will be imposed upon any customer whose check for payment if charges is returned by the bank for any reason.
A public hearing to be followed by a final vote on adoption of said proposed ordinance shall be held at the Oak Hill City Hall, 100 Kelly Ave., Oak Hill, WV, September 11, 2023, at 5:30 p.m. Interested parties may appear and be heard at such time with respect to the passage of the proposed ordinance. Copies of the proposed ordinance are available at the Office of the Clerk, Oak Hill City Hall.