§ 12.08.080. Charges for strong waste.

(a)

It is the purpose of the subsection to provide for the payment of rates, charges and fees from dischargers to the city's sewage works; to compensate the city for the cost of administration of the sewage disposal program established within Chapter 12.12 of this Code; and to pass on the appropriate discharger those fees and charges billed to the city by the City of Yakima, for treatment and disposal at the Regional Sewage Treatment Plant.

(b)

Strong Waste. Should the concentration of any pollutant discharged to the Union Gap sewer system exceed the limits established in Chapter 12.12 of this code, including, but not limited to, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and suspended solids (SS) limits set forth below, the city shall levy a strong waste surcharge. The surcharge shall be calculated utilizing the national average values of pollutant concentrations typical to each classification under the Standard Industrial Code or by actual concentrations verified by the city.

(c)

The rates and charges set forth below reflect an annual increase effective each January 1.

Starting on January 1, 2019 the rate increase for strong waste for years 2019 through 2024 shall be set at a rate of five percent, and three percent thereafter and shall continue to increase at such annual rate perpetually unless otherwise modified through subsequent action of the city council, the rates and charges shall remain as set forth below.

(d)

The surcharge shall be calculated as follows:

C _s = P x P _c x V x 8.34

where:

C _s = Surcharge for pollutants of excessive concentration (in dollars)

P = Concentration of a pollutant, greater than 300 (in mg/l)

P _c = Strong waste charge to collect, treat and dispose of any pollutant (in dollars/pound)

V = Quantity of sewage flow (in million gallons/billing period)

8.34 = Weight of one gallon of water (in pounds)

In the foregoing formula:

Strong Waste Charges

BOD charge per lb.	$0.48
TSS charge per lb.	$0.39

 

(e)

If a discharger disagrees with the national average values of pollutant concentration listed in the Standard Industrial Code, the discharger may request the city to perform sampling and testing to determine the values of pollutant concentrations in the discharger's sewage. The sampling and testing will be performed only by the city and sampling will be a composite sample taken during the time the discharger is discharging sewage. The samples shall be taken over a seven-day period. The discharger may specify which laboratory will provide the testing services for strength. Any laboratory selected must be certified by the Department of Ecology. The city will make all arrangements with the laboratory and the laboratory will send the test reports and their billing to the city. The city will furnish copies to the discharger.

(f)

The strong waste surcharge billed to the discharger will be based on the sampling and testing results, will be effective at the next billing period, and will continue until new sampling and testing is requested by the discharger or initiated by the city. The surcharge will not be retroactive.

(g)

The discharger shall pay all costs in connection with the sampling and testing when the work is requested by him.

(Ord. 2523 § 4, 2007: Ord. 2209-A § 6, 2000)

( Ord. No. 2864 , 11-24-14; Ord. No. 2955, § 2, 11-26-18 )