10 Pine Tree Road, Brunswick, Maine 04011
Sewer Use Billing Adjustment Policy December 2005
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Table of Contents:
Objective of policy
Purpose of policy
Authority for policy
Application of policy
Statement of Policy
Policy Exceptions & Alternatives
SUB-METERED use
Non-sub-metered use for POOL FILLING
LAUNDRY use
Non-sub-metered use for LAUNDROMATS
To establish a standard of fairness by which District ratepayers who use water for various purposes, which is not ultimately returned to the sewer, will be charged only for the quantity of wastewater actually generated.
This policy is intended to provide a means by which adjustment to the amount billed for wastewater disposal services may be made when use of water is such that it is not returned to the public sewer.
Authority for District policy on adjustment of billing for water not entering the public sewer stems from Brunswick Sewer District Rules & Regulations, Article III, Section 2, Metered Sewer Users, and Section 8, Water not Entering Public Sewer
Authority for promulgation of regulations stems from the District Charter, Private & Special Law, Chapter 104, Part 5, Section 42, Regulations.
1. This policy shall apply to all account holders of the Brunswick Sewer District within Rate Schedule 1, Metered Use, for whom the sewer use rate is based on potable water meter readings for the property, and which are not otherwise covered by separate agreement.
2. In the event any of the stated conditions are not met, the District shall be under no obligation to adjust billing for sewer use.
For residential, commercial, and industrial use of water, for all uses excepting those identified under the section Policy Exceptions & Alternatives, which water does not subsequently enter the public sewer and which use is not sub-metered, billing for sewer use may be adjusted as follows:
1. An account holder may receive an adjustment to billing for sewer use for any quarter, up to four times per year if desired and if conditions for adjustment are met.
2. An account holder desiring to receive an adjustment must contact the District with a request prior to the end of the current billing period for which the adjustment is being requested.
3. An account holder desiring to receive an adjustment must request the adjustment for each quarter for which tan adjustment is desired
4. When bills for the current period are calculated, if use for the current billing period is high relative to use for the three previous billing periods, use for the current billing period may be adjusted downward to the amount of the highest adjusted use in any of the three previous billing periods, provided however that
5. the maximum adjustment will not be more than half of the total amount used for the billing period for which adjustment has been requested.
6. Adjustments under this section shall be made at the sole and exclusive discretion of the District.
7. The published minimum user charge currently in effect will apply.
8. The District may, at any time and in its sole discretion, determine that a sub-meter is necessary in order to receive an adjustment under this policy.
III. Policy Exceptions & Alternatives.
Any party to whom provisions of this policy are unsatisfactory may, under terms of District Rules & Regulations, install a sub-meter to more precisely determine the amount of water used and not returned to the sewer.
For any use of water not entering the public sewer, which use is sub-metered, billing for sewer use during any billing period in which a separate water meter (sub-meter) is in use will be adjusted by the amount indicated by the sub-meter, provided that all of the following conditions are met:
1. An account holder desiring to install a sub-meter to receive an adjustment will make a one-time written request to the District prior to sub-meter installation; and
2. The District will be permitted to inspect the sub-meter installation in progress; and
3. The meter will be installed and maintained to the satisfaction of the General Manager by the account holder at the account holder's expense; and
4. The account holder will provide the District quarterly, prior to billing, with the sub-meter reading; and
5. The District, at the discretion of the General Manager, will be permitted to make timely readings of the sub-meter when it desires to do so.
6. The burden of proof that the sub-metered use did not enter the public sewer rests with the account holder.
7. The published minimum user charge currently in effect will apply.
B. Non - sub-metered use for POOLS, TUBS, SKATING RINKS, ETC.
For residential, commercial, and industrial use of water to fill pools, which water does not subsequently enter the public sewer and which use is not sub-metered, billing for sewer use may be adjusted as follows:
1. An account holder desiring to receive an adjustment must contact the District with the water meter reading prior to beginning use of water for pool filling, to request adjustment to billing for sewer use.
2. The account holder will contact the District, with the water meter reading at the conclusion of use of water for pool filling and prior to the end of the affected billing period.
3. When bills for the current period are calculated, use for the current billing period may be adjusted downward by the amount indicated by the starting and ending water meter readings on pool filling.
4. Adjustments under this section shall be made at the sole and exclusive discretion of the District.
5. The published minimum user charge currently in effect will apply.
For commercial and industrial use of water by laundries, which water does not subsequently enter the public sewer, billing for sewer use will be adjusted only as a consequence of sub-metering. In such cases, billing for sewer use may be adjusted as follows:
1. Requests for adjustments under this section will comply with all provisions of this policy relating to sub-metered use.
2. The General Manager or his designated representative will inspect the account holder's premises and operations to determine appropriateness of an adjustment, and may periodically thereafter re-inspect to confirm the appropriateness of the adjustment.
3. For laundries, defined for purposes of this policy as not self-service, billing for sewer use may be reduced for each billing period by the consumption indicated by the sub-meter reading, as full allowance for all water used by the laundromat and not returned to the sewer.
4. Adjustments under this section shall be made at the sole and exclusive discretion of the District.
5. The published minimum user charge currently in effect will apply.
D. Non - sub-metered use for LAUNDROMATS.
For commercial and industrial use of water by laundromats, which water does not subsequently enter the public sewer and which use is not sub-metered, billing for sewer use may be adjusted as follows.
1. An account holder desiring to receive an adjustment will make written request of the District no less frequently than every three years for adjustment of billing for sewer use.
2. The General Manager or his designated representative will inspect the account holder's premises and operations to determine appropriateness of an adjustment, and may periodically thereafter re-inspect to confirm the appropriateness of the adjustment.
3. For laundromats, defined for purposes of this policy as self-service, billing for sewer use will for each billing period be reduced by five percent (5 %) of the consumption indicated by the water meter reading, as full compensation for all water used by the laundromat and not returned to the sewer.
4. The adjustment factor applied under this section may, at the discretion of the General Manager, be amended from time to time based upon additional or updated information indicating the change to be warranted. Notice of change in an adjustment factor will be provided to all account holders receiving this type of adjustment in advance of the change taking effect.
5. Adjustments under this section shall be made at the sole and exclusive discretion of the District.
6. The published minimum user charge currently in effect will apply.
E. Other instances of water use not returned to the sewer that are not covered above, e.g. broken pipes, may be adjusted at the sole discretion of the Board of Trustees, upon recommendation by the General Manager.
IV. Effective Date & Adoption.
A. Effective date.
This policy shall become effective immediately upon adoption by the Board of Trustees.
B. Adoption.
In regular meeting duly convened and held on 21 November 2005 and on 20 December 2005, it was unanimously voted by the Board of Trustees to adopt this Sewer Use Billing Adjustment Policy.
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