Skip to main content
Loading…
Search Within This
4.405 Sewer Rates.*
This section is included in your selections.

* Code reviser’s note: Ord. 2021-36 states: “[I]n order to continue successful operations and maintenance of RWRF, the Committee at its February 22, 2021 meeting approved Resolution 40 increasing the utility rate for operation of the RWRF by three percent on July 1, 2021 and an additional three percent on July 1, 2022.”

(1) Monthly rates and charges are established and determined by resolution of the City Council for the use of sewage facilities operated by the City of Medford. Unless otherwise specified, rates are comprised of two components, a base charge and a gallonage charge. The base charge is a flat rate per month. The gallonage charge shall be based upon water consumption from service to the premises by a municipal water supply. Where the premises have an additional water source from a well, the users shall be required to install, and maintain, or permit the installation and maintenance of a meter on the source and the water thus measured shall be added to the amount measured from the municipal water supply to determine total gallonage. Access to the meter shall be a condition of continued water and sewer service to the premises. Where the premises only receives water from an unmetered source, e.g., well, monthly rates are established in accordance with Section 4.405(3) or 4.405(5)(c).

(2) The base and gallonage charges are established by two different entities. The portion of the rate used for the operation and maintenance of the City’s sewage collection system is established by the City of Medford. The portion of the rate used for operation and maintenance of the Regional Water Reclamation Facility (RWRF) is established by the Regional Rate Committee. The monthly sewer rate is the sum of these two parts as shown in subsections (3) through (8) of this section.

(3) Single-Family Residential Sewer Service. The rate per account per month shall be a flat rate as established in the most recent fee schedule approved by resolution of the City Council.

(4) Multiple-Family Residential Sewer Service. The rate per account per month shall be the total of the base and gallonage charges, and shall also include each mobile home space in a mobile home park. The gallonage charge is based on each 1,000 gallons of water delivered to the premises as determined in subsection (4)(a) of this section.

(a) Gallonage shall be determined once each year during the month of March for each such account and the amount of the charge so determined shall be charged for each month for the following 12-month period. The charge shall be determined for each account by applying the gallonage rate to the average monthly water consumption during the December, January and February billing periods to the closest 1,000 gallons and using a minimum of 1,000 gallons for each such month for each dwelling unit. In the case of a service which commences after the December billing period, the average shall be determined by a reasonable comparison with the use of water by other customers receiving the same class of service and under similar circumstances and conditions.

(5) Nonresidential Service. The rate per account per month shall be total of base and gallonage charges. The gallonage charge is based on each 1,000 gallons of water delivered to the premises with the exceptions described in subsection (5)(b) of this section.

(a) In the case of an account with no meter, the gallonage charge per month shall be determined by the water usage of similar businesses. If the business is a mobile food vendor in a semi-permanent pod that has meet the criteria as defined in Section 10.829A(17)(a), the rate shall be the same as a single-family residence.

(b) For schools, hospitals, residential care/boarding facilities, parks and churches, the gallonage shall be determined once each year during the month of March for each such account and the amount of the charge so determined shall be charged for each month for the following 12-month period. The charge shall be determined for each account by applying the gallonage rate to the average monthly water consumption during the December, January and February consumption for each such account. In the case of a service which commences after the December billing period, the average shall be determined by making a reasonable comparison of water usage by other customers receiving the same class of service and under similar circumstances and conditions.

(c) All vehicle and parts washing or steam cleaning facilities that discharge to the sanitary sewer, other than self- or full-service vehicle washes that serve the general public, will have charges determined on a case-by-case basis.

(6) Extra Strength Commercial, Hospital and Industrial Sewer Service Surcharge. The rate per sewer service per month shall be per each 300 ppm of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) or suspended solids (SS) or fraction thereof, in excess of the first 300 parts per million (ppm) of BOD or SS, per 1,000 gallons of water delivered to the premises. The rate shall be for the higher concentration of either BOD or SS, but not assessed for both. Such charge shall be in addition to the charge for sewer service listed in subsection (5) of this section.

(7) Recreational Vehicle Waste Dumping Station. The rate for each recreational vehicle waste dumping station shall be per dumping facility per month, in addition to other sewer charges as prescribed in subsection (6) of this section, for commercial or industrial sewer service to the location.

(8) Rates. The combined City of Medford and Regional Rate Committee base and gallonage rates for subsections (3) through (7) of this section are established in the most recent fee schedule approved by resolution of the City Council. The sewer charges described shall apply for each month, or part thereof, during which the water services to the premises are active, but shall not apply to any premises not connected to a public sewer. The term “water service” includes a well, supplying water to a system served by the sewer, as well as service from a public water system.

(9) Review of Rates. The sewer charges established in this section of the City Code shall be reviewed as necessary. The rates may be revised to reflect actual costs of operation, maintenance, replacement and financing of the treatment works and sewage collection system. Charges are to be equitable with regard to each user’s contribution to the total wastewater loading rate. Any sanitary sewer rate changes are effective July 15th of each year for all services.

[Amd. Sec. 1, Ord. No. 5528, Oct. 3, 1985; Amd. Sec. 1, Ord. No. 5537, Oct. 17, 1985; Amd. Ord. No. 7277, Dec. 17, 1992; Amd. Ord. No. 7306, Feb. 4, 1993; Amd. Ord. No. 7388, May 20, 1993; Amd. Ord. No. 7538, Dec. 9, 1993; Amd. Ord. No. 7667, Jun. 16, 1994; Amd. Ord. No. 7937, Aug. 3, 1995; Amd. Ord. No. 8196, Sep. 19, 1996 (effective Oct. 1, 1996); Amd. Sec. 1, Ord. No. 8544, Nov. 20, 1997; Amd. Sec. 1, Ord. No. 1999-27, Feb. 18, 1999; Amd. Sec. 1, Ord. No. 2000-246, Dec. 21, 2000; Amd. Ord. No. 2003-31, Feb. 6, 2003; Amd. Ord. No. 2004-182, Sep. 2, 2004; Amd. Ord. No. 2005-232, Oct. 6, 2005; Amd. Sec. 3, Ord. No. 2010-46, Mar. 4, 2010; Amd. Ord. No. 2010-47, Mar. 4, 2010; Amd. Ord. No. 2012-194, Dec. 20, 2012; Amd. Sec. 2, Ord. No. 2013-104, Jul. 11, 2013; Amd. Sec. 1, Ord. No. 2014-144, Nov. 20, 2014; Amd. Sec. 2, Ord. No. 2015-48, May 7, 2015; Amd. Sec. 1, Ord. No. 2018-32, Jun. 21, 2018; Amd. Ord. No. 2021-36, May 6, 2021; Amd. Ord. No. 2021-70, Jul. 1, 2021; Amd. Exh. A, Ord. No. 2021-135, Nov. 4, 2021.]