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Executive Summary
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The fiscal year 2007/08 budget includes an increase to
water and wastewater rates based on the recommended rates from the
water/wastewater rate study conducted by R.W. Beck, Inc. The study recommended phased increases in
monthly base charges and wastewater volume charges for all customers, along
with increases to residential and landscape customer water volume
charges. The proposed rates were reviewed
with the Council’s Audit and Finance Committee on October 22, 2007 and the
committee concurred with the recommended rates.
The proposed monthly base charges for water and wastewater
services are as follows:
|
Monthly Base
Charges
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|
|
Meter Size
(in)
|
Water
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Wastewater
|
|
5/8
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$ 6.38
|
$ 10.15
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|
¾
|
6.38
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10.15
|
|
1
|
9.96
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16.46
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|
1 ½
|
26.47
|
45.63
|
|
2
|
41.21
|
71.19
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3
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88.95
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154.33
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4
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246.06
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430.09
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6
|
481.70
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846.20
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8
|
601.75
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1,057.40
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The base charge for a fire line will increase from $6.81
to $7.67 and transient meters base charge will increase from $25.81 to
$26.67.
Each residential, commercial and landscape user will
continue to pay a separate rate of $0.27 for each 1,000 gallons consumed for
surface water. The funding from
surface water is being used to develop the infrastructure to help meet the
mandate to convert from groundwater to surface water sources. This fee is not changing.
The proposed volume
charges by user class are as follows:
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Volume Charges
by User Class
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Rates per 1,000
gallons
(or part thereof)
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Residential
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Commercial
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Landscape
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Residential-
Increasing block
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0 – 3,000
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$ 1.08
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3,001 – 10,000
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1.24
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10,001 to 20,000
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1.43
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over 20,000
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1.67
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Commercial- Uniform
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$ 1.17
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Landscape- Seasonal
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$ 1.16
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Summer (May –
Sept)
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1.46
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Surface Water
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0.27
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0.27
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0.27
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Wastewater
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2.80
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2.80
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Wastewater charges are increasing from $2.66 per 1,000
gallons to $2.80 per 1,000 gallons.
Residential customers are billed wastewater volume charges based on
the average water usage from their February and March bills, with a maximum
of 12,000 gallons. The wastewater
volume amount is reset in April for the following twelve months bills.
Based on the proposed rates, the average residential
customer will see an increase of about $5 per month on their City utility
bill. As residential and landscape
water rates are increasing along with monthly base charges, customers who use
more water will see a larger increase in their bill.
The rates in Ordinance 1651 will be effective for all billings
on or after March 1, 2008.
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Exhibits
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ORDINANCE NO. 1651
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SUGAR LAND, TEXAS,
AMENDING CHAPTER 5, DIVISION 3 (RATES AND CHARGES) OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES BY
REVISING THE MONTHLY RETAIL WATER RATES AND MONTHLY RETAIL WASTEWATER CHARGES.
BE IT ORDAINED BY
THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF
SUGAR LAND, TEXAS:
Section 1. That Sec. 5-246 of the Code of Ordinances
is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 5-246. Monthly retail water
rates.
(a) Regular
service. Each customer receiving city retail water service through a
meter must pay a monthly charge based on the following quantity and service
charges by user class:
(1) Residential users
must pay usage charges based on an increasing block volume rate for each 1,000
gallons of water, or portion thereof, as follows:
|
Volume Block (gallons)
|
Rate
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0 to 3,000
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$ 1.08
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3,001 to 10,000
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1.24
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10,001 to 20,000
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1.43
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Over 20,000
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1.64
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(2) Commercial users
must pay usage charges based on a uniform volume rate of $1.17 for each 1,000
gallons of water, or portion thereof.
(3) Landscape users
must pay usage charges based on a uniform seasonal volume rate for each 1,000
gallons of water, or portion thereof, as follows:
|
Season
|
Rate
|
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Winter (Oct.-Apr.)
|
$ 1.16
|
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Summer (May - Sept.)
|
1.46
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(4) In addition to
other charges, each residential, commercial and landscape user must pay a
service charge based on the water meter size as follows:
|
Meter Size
|
Service Charge
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5/8-inch
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$ 6.38
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3/4-inch
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6.38
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1-inch
|
9.96
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1 1/2-inch
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26.47
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2-inch
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41.21
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3-inch
|
88.95
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4-inch
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246.06
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6-inch
|
481.70
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8-inch
|
601.75
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(5) Surface
water fee. In addition to other charges, each residential, commercial, and
landscape user must pay a $0.27 charge for each 1,000 gallons of water, or
portion thereof.
(b) Fire
lines. Any property served by a fire line must pay a monthly service
charge of $7.67 and the monthly quantity charge, if any, applicable to regular
service.
(c) Transient
meters. Any person making use of a transient meter must pay a monthly
service charge of $26.67 and the monthly quantity charge applicable to regular
service.
Section
2. That Sec. 5-247 is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 5-247. Monthly retail wastewater charges. Each
residential and commercial user receiving city retail wastewater service must
pay a monthly charge based on the following volume and service charges:
(1) A uniform charge of $2.80 for each 1,000 gallons of
water, or portion thereof, provided through the meter, and
(2) A
service charge based on the customer's water meter size as follows:
|
Meter Size
|
Service Charge
|
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5/8-inch
|
$ 10.15
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3/4-inch
|
10.15
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1-inch
|
16.46
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1 1/2-inch
|
45.63
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2-inch
|
71.19
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3-inch
|
154.33
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4-inch
|
430.09
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6-inch
|
846.20
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8-inch
|
1,057.40
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(3) Unless subsection (4) applies, for residential customers,
wastewater volume charges for April through March of the following year will be
calculated using the lesser of the following:
(a) The customer’s average monthly
water usage for the latest preceding February and March bills for service; or
(b) 12,000 gallons
per month.
(4) New residential customers with no water usage billed in the latest
preceding February and March will be charged wastewater volume charges based on
9,600 gallons per month. In a new residential customer’s first billing cycle,
the wastewater volume charge will be prorated based on the number of days for
which service was received through a meter.
(5) Wastewater charges will not be imposed in conjunction with water
service for a new meter installed on property for new residential construction
until the expiration of 90 days of service, or the date of permanent occupancy,
whichever first occurs.
(6) Wastewater charges will not be imposed in conjunction with water
service for a new meter installed on property for new non-residential
construction until the expiration of 180 days of service, or the date of
permanent occupancy, whichever first occurs.
Section 3. That this ordinance is effective March 1,
2008.
Section
4. That the provisions of this
ordinance are severable and the invalidity of any part of this ordinance will
not affect the validity of the remainder of the ordinance.
APPROVED on first consideration on
__________________________, 2007.
ADOPTED upon second consideration on
_______________________, 2007.
__________________________
David
G. Wallace, Mayor
ATTEST:
____________________________
Glenda
Gundermann, City Secretary
Reviewed
for Legal Compliance:
