Bluffton Common Council increases water, sewer rates

The Bluffton Common Council members approved new water and sewer rates for the city of Bluffton during their Tuesday meeting. Overall, the increase will add about a $1 more to the bill each month for a "typical" household, Mayor Ted Ellis said, but the ordinance text belows further specifies what residents will pay.

Learn more in the Wednesday, Nov. 27, News-Banner.

WATER RATES

There shall be and there are hereby established for the use of and the service rendered by Bluffton Utilities Water Department the following rates and charges, based on the use of water supplied by said waterworks system:

                                              • Rate Per

• Metered Rates Per Month   100 cu. Ft.
First 200 cu. ft.                           $3.70
Next 800 cu. ft.                             2.84
Next 5,000 cu. ft.                          2.17
Next 14,000 cu. ft.                        1.49
Over 20,000 cu. ft.                        1.19

2. Minimum Monthly Charge Each user shall pay a minimum monthly charge in accordance with the following applicable size of meter installed, for which the user will be entitled to the quantity of water set out of the above schedule of rates.

• Meter Size                          • cu. ft. Allowed           • Per Month
5/8 and 3/4 inch meters          200 cu. ft.                       $ 7.41
1 inch meters                          342 cu. ft.                         11.45
1¼ and 1½ inch meters          553 cu. ft.                         17.43
2 inch meters                          749 cu. ft.                         22.96
3 inch meters                          1206 cu. ft.                       34.51
4 inch meters                          1730 cu. ft.                       45.91
6 inch meters                          2792 cu. ft.                       69.02

3.  Public Fire Protection for each hydrant per annum: $305.25
 

4. Private Fire Protection
• Sprinkling System                     • Per month
1½ inch line                                     $23.04
2 inch line                                         30.61
3 inch line                                         42.25
4 inch line                                         49.94
6 inch line                                         80.68
8 inch line                                        100.67
10 inch line                                      124.77
12 inch line                                      179.64   
 

For each hydrant per annum: $305.25
                       
• Tapping Charges, Collection Fees, Deferred Payment Charges, Bad Check Charges, and Reconnection Fees shall be assessed in accordance with the Bluffton Utilities Schedule of Nonrecurring Charges

• Water furnished to temporary users, such as contractors, etc., shall be charged on the basis of the metered cu. Ft. rates hereinbefore set forth as estimated and established by the Waterworks Superintendent
 

SEWER RATES

For the use of and the service rendered by said sewage works, sewer charges shall be collected from the owners of each and every lot, parcel of real estate or building that is or could be connected to the City's sewerage system or otherwise discharges sanitary sewage, industrial wastes, water or other liquids, either directly or indirectly, into the sewerage system of the City, which sewer charges shall be payable as hereinafter provided and shall be in an amount determinable as follows:

• Monthly Consumption  •User Charge     •Debt Service     •Total Sewer Charge
per month                       per 100 cu. Ft.    per 100 cu. Ft.    per 100 cu. Ft.
First 300 cubic feet              $ 2.88                  $ 1.27                  $ 4.15
Over 300 cubic feet                2.55                     1.27                      3.82

The minimum monthly charge for any metered user shall be:

                                                                                  •Monthly Minimum
                                                • Debt Service            Allowed
• Cubic Feet  • User Charges  and Other Charges    Sewer Charges
300                $8.65                 $3.81                         $12.46
 

The minimum monthly charge for any residential user who is not a metered water customer shall be:
                                                                                  •Monthly Minimum
• Estimated                              •Debt Service             Allowed
Cubic Feet    •User Charges    and Other Charges    Sewer Charges
807                $21.59               $10.24                        $31.81   

   
The minimum monthly sewer charge for any commercial or industrial user who is not a water customer shall be one of the following:   
   
•Estimated cubic                            •Debt Service                • Monthly Sewer
Ft. Per month        • User Charge   and Other Charges       Charges          
    910                          $ 24.21               $11.54                        $ 35.75
    955                             25.35                 12.12                           37.49
    1084                           28.64                 13.75                           42.39
    1472                           38.53                 18.68                           57.21
    1602                           41.85                 20.32                           62.17
    1740                           45.37                  22.05                          67.45
    1860                           48.44                  23.60                          72.04
    2295                            59.53                 29.12                          88.65
    3600                            92.81                 45.68                        138.49
    7336                          188.18                 93.08                        281.26
    8257                           211.60               104.76                       316.36
    24429                         624.07               309.94                       934.01