Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes a decrease in the outside city Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) charge for the Wet Weather Program within the sanitary sewer rate section of the Columbus City Codes.
The rate structure includes a charge related to each customer's contribution to wastewater flow during periods of wet weather. Since wastewater flow during wet weather directly corresponds to impervious area, the charge recovers costs of construction of projects necessary to meet the requirements of the two consent orders that mandate elimination of wet weather flow from Combined Sewer Overflows and Sanitary Sewer Overflows. This charge is assessed based on each property's measured impervious surface area. Each ERU is based on the previously determined Stormwater ERU of 2000 sq ft. Residents are charged at one ERU per residence. All other customers are charged based on measured impervious area divided by 2000 sq ft to determine an actual ERU count. This charge recovers the debt service costs and other expense of all projects related to correcting wet weather overflows. This charge for 2006 is currently $1.31 per ERU inside city and $.51 per ERU for outside city customers.
Outside city customer ERUs were based on estimates that have since been updated to accurately reflect the estimated impervious surface areas in suburban communities. The actual measured ERU counts are higher than originally estimated and a reduction in the outside city ERU rate is warranted. The calculated change reduces the outside city rate from $.51 per ERU to $.34 per ERU.
Fiscal Impact: This rate change will still generate approximately $1.2 million in 2006. The reduced rate times the increased ERU count will generate the same revenue required by the rate model from outside city customers so there is no change in estimated total revenue.
Title
To amend Chapter 1147 of the Columbus City Codes 1959, to change sanitary sewer service rates relating ...
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