That comes from our methodology for sewer rates that we implemented, however, the code says something different and is applied to all users. We cant change the winter averaging like what you’ve highlighted below until we change the code. Here is a copy of the code language.
13.08.360 Rates—Generally.
A. All users of the City’s sewage system shall pay to the City the rates for sewer service as provided by this chapter.
B. Sewer service charges shall commence at the time a water meter is installed at a property. If no water meter is installed at a property, the sewer service charge shall first be levied for the month following the first month in which the property is permitted to connect to the sewer.
C. The sewer service charge for an individually billed service shall be based on that customer’s use of the system as measured through winter average water consumption and that customer’s allocated share of the sewer system’s fixed cost of providing service.
D. Each sewer service customer shall pay a deposit to secure the payment of sewer bills, unless exempted under the provisions of paragraph 1 of this subsection D. The amount of the deposit shall be established by the City Council by resolution. After payment of all amounts due for sewer service, the deposit shall be refunded to the customer upon termination of service or upon the customer’s qualification for an exemption from the deposit requirement.
1. Sewer service customers shall be exempt from the requirement to maintain a deposit if:
a. The customer has maintained a sewer service account with the City for a continuous period of one year without any delinquencies in payment; or
b. The customer previously had a sewer service account with the City of Molalla for a period of at least one year, and there were no delinquencies in payment on that account.
c. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the City Manager may waive a customer’s deposit requirement, extend the period during which a deposit is required, or reinstate a customer’s deposit requirement for good cause. (Ord. 2007-07 §1)
Regards,
Gerald Fisher, P.E. | Public Works Director
City of Molalla
117 N Molalla Ave. | PO Box 248 |Molalla, OR 97038
Office: 503.829.6855 | Direct: 503.759.0218
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in this email message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient and have received this communication in error, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. Thank you.
From: Chelsi Sanders [mailto:csanders@cityofmolalla.com]
Sent: Monday, January 22, 2018 12:14 PM
To: Gerald Fisher <gfisher@cityofmolalla.com>
Cc: Chaunee Seifried <cseifried@cityofmolalla.com>
Subject: RE: Molalla Carwash
I get the issue with the storm drain on the irrigation meters. That has been resolved. She also had a question on their main meter regarding the Sewer Usage fee…..that is where my question comes in, it may be more general than specific to this account as I will be recalculating these fees in March.
Currently, we DO calculate all accounts, commercial included, with the 5 winter months average. This is the first I have heard we should be calculating it differently for commercial accounts.
This is your email to which I am referring:
From: Gerald Fisher [mailto:gfisher@cityofmolalla.com]
Sent: Monday, October 9, 2017 5:54 PM
To: Kim Merchant
Cc: Chaunee Seifried
Subject: RE: Molalla Carwash
Hi Kim,
I reviewed the design plans from 2003 and confirmed that you are connected to the sanitary sewer system within the building. With recycled water, your use is probably dependent on the condition of the water or in other words the more vehicles you clean per day will affect the demand for fresh water into the recycled system. I am not sure how your system monitors the demand for clean water and how it adds water as needed so you may want to look at the programming to make sure it is optimized. The water used in the carwash is equal to the water out thru the sewer system so as long as there isn’t a leak or the system is demanding fresh water when it shouldn’t then the use should be correct. We also only water average for residential customers only. Commercial and industrial users do not typically have similar uses as residential customers and the water used is discharged directly into the sewer. If you have irrigation connected to your system then you have the option of curtailing irrigation or setting up a separate water service solely for irrigation purposes. That would be a water-only bill for an irrigation meter.
I did also talk to our Finance Director, Chaunee, and Finance is still going thru their audit and your business may have not been getting charged the full amount it was supposed to under our utility code. If we find an error where we’ve overcharged then we credit the account. We also do not charge retroactive if we find an error that we’ve been under billing an account. If you think there may be other errors then please let Chaunee know so her staff can check the account.
Thanks and let me know if you have any questions.
From: Gerald Fisher [mailto:gfisher@cityofmolalla.com]
Sent: Monday, January 22, 2018 12:02 PM
To: Chelsi Sanders <csanders@cityofmolalla.com>
Cc: Chaunee Seifried <cseifried@cityofmolalla.com>
Subject: RE: Molalla Carwash
Irrigation meters should be separate from everything else. If we have a meter that is listed as an irrigation meter but it is also domestic then that is wrong and it should just be a standard meter. An irrigation meter is a water service that is connected to the main only for the purpose supplying water to an irrigation system and that type of service has no impact on sewer, stormwater, etc.
If you have a list that is all mixed up then we will need to comb thru them to fix. Thanks Chelsi.
Regards,
Gerald Fisher, P.E. | Public Works Director
City of Molalla
117 N Molalla Ave. | PO Box 248 |Molalla, OR 97038
Office: 503.829.6855 | Direct: 503.759.0218
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in this email message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient and have received this communication in error, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. Thank you.
From: Chelsi Sanders [mailto:csanders@cityofmolalla.com]
Sent: Monday, January 22, 2018 11:57 AM
To: Gerald Fisher <gfisher@cityofmolalla.com>
Cc: Chaunee Seifried <cseifried@cityofmolalla.com>
Subject: RE: Molalla Carwash
Ok. As far as the sewer usage, what should that be? Currently, we DO calculate all accounts, commercial included, with the 5 winter months average. This is the first I have heard we should be calculating it differently for commercial accounts. Please let me know if I should make a change to this account.
From: Gerald Fisher [mailto:gfisher@cityofmolalla.com]
Sent: Monday, January 22, 2018 11:25 AM
To: Chelsi Sanders <csanders@cityofmolalla.com>; Chaunee Seifried <cseifried@cityofmolalla.com>
Subject: RE: Molalla Carwash
Thanks Chelsi. If you come across any other irrigation meters and we need to look over those accounts to make sure they are all good then let me know.
Regards,
Gerald Fisher, P.E. | Public Works Director
City of Molalla
117 N Molalla Ave. | PO Box 248 |Molalla, OR 97038
Office: 503.829.6855 | Direct: 503.759.0218
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in this email message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient and have received this communication in error, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. Thank you.
From: Chelsi Sanders [mailto:csanders@cityofmolalla.com]
Sent: Monday, January 22, 2018 10:20 AM
To: Chaunee Seifried <cseifried@cityofmolalla.com>
Cc: Gerald Fisher <gfisher@cityofmolalla.com>
Subject: RE: Molalla Carwash
Hey,
I will credit back the storm fees for the irrigation line and remove that billing. I didn’t know we did not bill for this on all accounts. Let me know if there are any other adjustments to be made.
From: Chaunee Seifried [mailto:cseifried@cityofmolalla.com]
Sent: Monday, January 22, 2018 8:24 AM
To: Chelsi Sanders <csanders@cityofmolalla.com>
Cc: Gerald Fisher <gfisher@cityofmolalla.com>
Subject: FW: Molalla Carwash
Chelsi,
Can you look into this first thing this morning and let us know?
Thanks,
Chaunee
From: Gerald Fisher [mailto:gfisher@cityofmolalla.com]
Sent: Friday, January 19, 2018 10:54 AM
To: Kim Merchant <merchantranch@bctonline.com>
Cc: apeters@cityofmolalla.com; Chaunee Seifried <cseifried@cityofmolalla.com>
Subject: RE: Molalla Carwash
Hi Kim,
The storm fee should only apply to one of the meters (typically main meter and not irrigation) and I will get with the Finance Department to correct and make any credit adjustments needed. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Regards,
Gerald Fisher, P.E. | Public Works Director
City of Molalla
117 N Molalla Ave. | PO Box 248 |Molalla, OR 97038
Office: 503.829.6855 | Direct: 503.759.0218
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in this email message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient and have received this communication in error, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. Thank you.
From: Kim Merchant [mailto:merchantranch@bctonline.com]
Sent: Friday, January 19, 2018 10:39 AM
To: 'Gerald Fisher' <gfisher@cityofmolalla.com>
Subject: RE: Molalla Carwash
So we do have a separate meter for irrigation but Im seeing a storn drain now on that and I called to have that shut off like you guys used to automatically do every year since we domt use irrigation in the wintr and they told me they aren’t doing that any more so now im paying that service fee and storm drain for irrigation?? If you look at my water bills (the carwash one) from like last year with the same water usage its up in price significantly like hundreds a month, I understand raising prices but to make changes like this after us being open for 13 years hurts a bit, I know its hard to explain through email with this so if theres someone I can talk in person I could do that
Thanks
Kim Merchant
971-563-1557
From: Gerald Fisher [mailto:gfisher@cityofmolalla.com]
Sent: Monday, October 9, 2017 5:54 PM
To: Kim Merchant
Cc: Chaunee Seifried
Subject: RE: Molalla Carwash
Hi Kim,
I reviewed the design plans from 2003 and confirmed that you are connected to the sanitary sewer system within the building. With recycled water, your use is probably dependent on the condition of the water or in other words the more vehicles you clean per day will affect the demand for fresh water into the recycled system. I am not sure how your system monitors the demand for clean water and how it adds water as needed so you may want to look at the programming to make sure it is optimized. The water used in the carwash is equal to the water out thru the sewer system so as long as there isn’t a leak or the system is demanding fresh water when it shouldn’t then the use should be correct. We also only water average for residential customers only. Commercial and industrial users do not typically have similar uses as residential customers and the water used is discharged directly into the sewer. If you have irrigation connected to your system then you have the option of curtailing irrigation or setting up a separate water service solely for irrigation purposes. That would be a water-only bill for an irrigation meter.
I did also talk to our Finance Director, Chaunee, and Finance is still going thru their audit and your business may have not been getting charged the full amount it was supposed to under our utility code. If we find an error where we’ve overcharged then we credit the account. We also do not charge retroactive if we find an error that we’ve been under billing an account. If you think there may be other errors then please let Chaunee know so her staff can check the account.
Thanks and let me know if you have any questions.
Regards,
Gerald Fisher, P.E. | Public Works Director
City of Molalla
117 N Molalla Ave. | PO Box 248 |Molalla, OR 97038
Office: 503.829.6855 | Direct: 503.759.0218
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in this email message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient and have received this communication in error, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. Thank you.
From: Kim Merchant [mailto:merchantranch@bctonline.com]
Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2017 7:02 PM
To: Gerald Fisher <gfisher@cityofmolalla.com>
Subject: Re: Molalla Carwash
Hi Gerald
No problem, Ya know I don't know if we are hooked up to the sewer I just know that we have never had sewer on our bill until a few months ago (we built it 13 years ago) and our water usage hasn't changed
I think someone saw that there was no sewer and added it but like I said they added the wrong rate and that's when I noticed our bill tripled and I called to see what the deal was then they reduced it I tried telling her we have never had sewer on our bill but she said I needed to call you
Thanks
Sent from my iPhone
Kim
On Oct 3, 2017, at 12:31 PM, Gerald Fisher <gfisher@cityofmolalla.com> wrote:
Hi Kim,
I wont be able to look at this today but will review this week. A couple of questions for you.
Is your facility connected to the sanitary sewer system?
Recycled water in a car wash typically involves a reduction in the amount of water used thereby reducing the flow to the sewer system. Have you had an increase in the use of water lately that is not consistent with your normal operational use from the past?
Let me know and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks.
Regards,
Gerald Fisher, P.E. | Public Works Director
City of Molalla
117 N Molalla Ave. | PO Box 248 |Molalla, OR 97038
Office: 503.829.6855 | Direct: 503.759.0218
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in this email message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient and have received this communication in error, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. Thank you.
From: Kim Merchant [mailto:merchantranch@bctonline.com]
Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2017 10:48 AM
Subject: Molalla Carwash
Hi Gerald
I have a question about the sewer rates that have recently been put on our acct. I know sewer is averaged on water usage but we recycle all our water, it goes into a huge tank with a filtration system and is reused and we do not have a public restroom, when they first assessed the sewer amount a few months ago they put in the wrong figures and started deducting close to 2,000.00 out of our acct for the month so I called and they said someone added the wrong figure and they adjusted it and gave a credit but the water bill is still doubled, I tried explaining why we never had sewer on our acct for the last 13yeras they said I needed to talk to you, when we built the carwash and had the whole recycled system put in (which was thousands) that’s why we never had sewer on our water bill because we really don’t have any except a few employees using the bathroom, can you please help fix this problem, we cant afford to pay for things we don’t use J
Thanks
Kim Merchant
971-563-1557