All users shall be assigned to a user-class category by the Director of Utilities as outlined in Section 8-12.601 based on the user's principal activity and typical wastewater constituents and characteristics. The purpose of such classification is to facilitate the regulation of wastewater discharges to provide an effective means of source control, and to establish a system of user charges and fees that ensure equitable distribution of costs among all users. The system of charges to be established must, in accordance with the requirements of the Federal Act and the State Clean Water Grant Program, provide for the following items:
(a) 
Sufficient financing for an adequate operation and maintenance program, including competent operating personnel and the industrial waste program;
(b) 
Funds to be reserved for necessary future replacements, improvements and expansions to the facilities.
(Prior Code § 20-55(A); Ord. 83-1054 § 1, eff. 6/16/83; Ord. 2005-01, eff. 3/3/05)
(a) 
The City may adopt and/or amend from time to time a schedule of charges and fees by resolution, as provided in the Schedule of Fees and Charges within this Code, to include:
(1) 
Sewer service charges;
(2) 
User classification charges;
(3) 
Other user charges;
(4) 
Connection fees;
(5) 
Fees for monitoring;
(6) 
Fees for permit applications;
(7) 
Appeal fees;
(8) 
Disposal of treated waste water or holding/septic tank wastes.
(b) 
The schedule may be amended annually by resolution of the City Council to reflect increases or decreases in costs. The schedule of charges shall be as determined in the annual revision of the revenue program.
(Prior Code § 20-55(13); Ord. 83-1054 § 1, eff. 6/16/83; Ord. 2006-02, eff. 3/21/06)
(a) 
There is established a special fund to be known as the "sewer rental fund." Except as specified in Subsection (b) all receipts of the wastewater enterprise collected under the terms of this Chapter shall be placed in the sewer rental fund. Monies of the sewer rental fund shall be used for the purposes authorized and/or required by Section 5471 of the Health and Safety Code of the State as the same presently provides or may provide as amended from time to time by the Clean Water Grant Program regulations, and the Federal Act.
(b) 
An allocation for the reasonable value (not to exceed five percent of the receipts of the wastewater treatment plant) for the wastewater treatment plant use of the City of Santa Maria sewer transmission line easements shall be transferred from the sewer rental fund to the general fund on an annual basis. The amount of the allocation shall be $.02 per gallon of septage received.
(Prior Code § 20-55(C); Ord. 83-1054 § 1, eff. 6/16/83; Ord. 94-24, eff. 8/18/94; Ord. 2005-01, eff. 3/3/05; Ord. 2019-09, eff. 12/19/19)
The following system of user classification charges shall become effective upon adoption of the revenue program.
The charges shall be as provided in this Section or approved by resolution of the City Council.
(a) 
Class I Users. Class I user charges shall be based on a monthly flat fee as set by the City Council. Class I users include the customer classes of: single-family residential; multi-family residential, including mobile homes; and hotels, motels, and rest homes.
(b) 
Class II Users. User charges for Class II users shall be based on a fee as set by the City Council for each hundred (100) cubic feet of water delivered, or where applicable, each hundred (100) cubic feet of wastewater discharged.
(c) 
Class III Users. User charges for Class III users shall be based on fees set by the City Council for each hundred (100) cubic feet of water delivered or, where applicable, each hundred (100) cubic feet of wastewater discharged. User charges for Class III users shall be established as outlined in the revenue program for individual users, groups of users conducting the same principal activity, or major groups as outlined under the SIC divisions.
(d) 
Class IV Users. User charges for Class IV users shall be billed as provided in this Chapter and shall be calculated according to the formula:
Cu = (Vc X Vu) + (Bc X Bu) + (Sc X Su) + X where:
Cu
=
the monthly user charge (dollars per month)
Vc
=
the cost of collecting and treating each 100 cubic feet of wastewater
Vu
=
the total monthly quantity of wastewater discharged by a user (hundreds of cubic feet per month)
Bc
=
the cost of treating a pound of BOD
Bu
=
the total monthly quantity of BOD discharges by a user (pounds per month)
Sc
=
the cost of treating a pound of suspended solids.
Su
=
the total monthly quantity of suspended solids discharged by a user (pounds per month)
X
=
the special assessments for violating any provisions of this Chapter (such as TDS, Na, Cl, etc.)
(Prior Code § 20-55(E); Ord. 83-1054 § 1, eff. 6/16/83; Ord. 2006-02, eff. 3/21/06; Ord. 2019-09, eff. 12/19/19; Ord. 2024-05, eff. 5/16/2024)