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HomeMy WebLinkAbout093 - 09/18/2012 - AMENDING SECTION 26-279 OF THE CITY CODE TO ALLOW A REDUCTION FOR CALCULATED EVAPORATIVE LOSSES IN D ORDINANCE NO. 093, 2012 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS AMENDING SECTION 26-279 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS TO ALLOW A REDUCTION FOR CALCULATED EVAPORATIVE LOSSES IN DETERMINING WASTEWATER VOLUME FOR EXISTING LARGE INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES WHEREAS,rates,fees and charges for wastewater utility service are determined as set forth . in Division 4 of Article IV in Chapter 26 of the City Code; and WHEREAS,the methods for measuring and determining wastewater volume for the purpose of billing wastewater customers the applicable rates, fees and charges for wastewater service; and WHEREAS, in some circumstances the volume of wastewater discharged by wastewater customers with complex or unusual processes or plant configurations can be more accurately determined using more refined methods; and WHEREAS, on June 15, 2010, the Council adopted Ordinance No. 067, 2010, which amended Section 26-279 of the City Code so as to allow Utilities to develop and approve on a case- by-case basis methods for measuring the amount of water consumed or processed by nonresidential wastewater customers, in order to determine more accurately the volume of wastewater discharged by such customers; and WHEREAS,since the adoption of Ordinance No.067,2010, City staff has further evaluated additional circumstances in which large industrial customers may process water in a manner that results in substantial evaporative losses,and which, as a result, significantly reduces the volume of water returned to the City in the form of wastewater; and WHEREAS,metering such evaporative losses in existing industrial facilities can be difficult and costly except in the case of construction or reconstruction of said facilities; and WHEREAS,sufficiently reliable engineering analysis and calculations are available that can form the basis for calculating the amount of evaporative loss by which a customer's total wastewater volume should be adjusted; and WHEREAS, City staff has proposed that Section 26-279 of the City Code be amended so as to allow Utilities to allow large industrial customers experiencing significant evaporative losses in their existing processes to provide data and analysis as the basis for a reduction in wastewater volumes for the purpose of determining Wastewater Utility service fees and charges; and WHEREAS,the City Council has determined that it is appropriate and desirable for Utilities to have the authority to employ such methods in determining wastewater discharges by large industrial wastewater customers. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS that Section 26-279(c)of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is hereby amended to read as follows: (c) The rate determination by category is as follows: (4) In addition to the applicable base charge set forth in § 26-280, users in Categories D, E and F shall be billed upon the basis of metered water consumption except where they can show to the satisfaction of the Utilities Executive Director that not all of the water going through the water meter is returned to the wastewater system but is instead consumed or otherwise diverted. In such cases, and with the approval of the Utilities Executive Director,the wastewater charges may be based upon one(1)of the following methods: a. a metering device of a type and installed in a manner approved by the Utilities Executive Director may be used to measure the quantity of wastewater returned to the public sewer, in which event the actual volume of wastewater discharged will be substituted in the formula for billing purposes; b. a metering device of a type and installed in a manner approved by the Utilities Executive Director may be used to measure one or more specific quantities of water consumed or processed in all or specified portions of the user's facility if the Utilities Executive Director finds that such measured water quantities form a sufficient and reliable basis for determining the quantity of wastewater returned to the public sewer, in which event the actual volume of wastewater discharged will be substituted in the formula for billing purposes; C. for evaporative loss in a specific industrial process that was in operation as of September 1, 2012, and that is served by a water meter four (4) inches in size or greater, a method for calculating the amount of evaporative loss may be used to reduce the customer's wastewater volume from the amount that would otherwise be determined based upon water use,provided that such method must be reasonably satisfactory to the Utilities Executive Director and must be based on generally accepted methods determined to accurately and reliably predict the rate and amount of such evaporative loss; or d. when the user discharges only wastes reasonably and regularly corresponding to the winter quarter water use, said winter quarter water use may be substituted in the formula for billing purposes. Any metering device used to measure wastewater shall be installed and maintained at the user's expense. -2- Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 4th day of September, A.D. 2012, and to be presented for final passage on the 18th day of September, A.D. 2012. �AOF FORTOO` A, . < a}or ATTEST: SEAL, c C000RAV City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading on the 18th day of September A:D. 2012. Maybr ORTC ATTEST: OF.F O SEAS,`N City Clerk cOLORAC'Of -3-