13.95.030 Sewer winter averages.
Sewer winter averages for the following user classes and/or specific accounts shall be calculated in the following manner:
(1) Standard Winter Average. Standard winter average is based on the average of metered water consumption, excluding the first 600 cf, during a consecutive three-month period, after December 1st and before March 1st.
(2) Special Winter Average. The following accounts and/or user classifications shall have a winter usage established as follows:
(a) “Multiple-family (multifamily) dwelling”: based on the average of metered water consumption, excluding the first 600 cf per each residential unit, during a consecutive three-month period after December 1st and before March 1st (e.g., an account with three residential units shall have the first 1,800 cf excluded).
(b) “Multiple-residential/commercial unit”: based on the average of metered water consumption, excluding the first 600 cf per each residential unit, during a consecutive three-month period after December 1st and before March 1st (e.g., an account with two commercial units and three residential units shall have the first 1,800 cf excluded).
(c) Wahkiakum Elementary School, account number 414: based on the average of metered water consumption, excluding the first 600 cf, during a consecutive 12-month period after December 1st and before January 1st.
(d) Wahkiakum High School, account number 434: based on the average of metered water consumption, excluding the first 600 cf, during a consecutive 12-month period after December 1st and before January 1st.
(e) Wahkiakum Middle School, account number 436: based on the average of metered water consumption, excluding the first 600 cf, during a consecutive 12-month period after December 1st and before January 1st.
(f) Port District No. 1, account number 494: based on the average of metered water consumption, excluding the first 600 cf, during a consecutive 12-month period after December 1st and before January 1st; provided, however, that for the 2022 and 2023 billing periods, it shall be based on the average of metered water consumption, up to and including only the first 3,000 cf. during such period.
(3) Adjusted Winter Average. Adjusted winter average is based on the average of metered water consumption, excluding the first 600 cf, during a period established consistent with this section.
(a) Accounts without water consumption during the standard winter average usage period will only be billed the monthly minimum base charge until a reasonable amount of water consumption data, typically three months depending on what month the account is established, is available to calculate an adjusted winter average consistent with this section.
(b) Upon receipt of satisfactory evidence that a water leak has occurred and been repaired and/or determination by the clerk-treasurer upon annual review and based on specific account usage history, the clerk-treasurer may adjust the sewer winter-average to not include the period during which the water leakage occurred when to do so would result in a higher sewer charge to such premises, as follows:
(i) For a water leak occurring during any of the three winter-average usage period months, the leakage month(s) should be replaced by the month(s) occurring immediately before and/or after the winter-average period, depending on the usage month during which the leak occurred, as follows:
(A) Month one: average of months two, three and four;
(B) Month two: average of months one, three and four;
(C) Month three: average of months one, two and four;
(D) Months one and two: average of months three, four and five;
(E) Months two and three: average of months one, four and five;
(F) Months one, two and three: an average of months 12, four and five.
(ii) For any other water leaks that negatively impact a customer’s sewer winter average, the clerk-treasurer may adjust the sewer winter-average to reflect the reduced usage amount immediately following the repair, usually occurring within one to two billing cycles (i.e., when a repair is made in the beginning of April, the reduced usage may be reflected in the May billing, whereas a repair made at the end of April may not be reflected until the June billing. See example below).
(c) Such a reduction in sewer winter averages due to a water leak as described in this section shall be permitted only two times in any calendar decade for any property (two reductions per decade per metered account, regardless of the customer responsible for the account). Each calendar decade shall begin January 1st of the year ending in zero and end December 31st of the year ending in nine (e.g., January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2029; January 1, 2030, through December 31, 2039; and so on), with the date of each reduction based upon the date the application is received by the town.
(d) No credit shall be given to any account’s water charges for a water leak without following the procedures outlined in CMC 13.15.070 and no credit shall be given to any account’s sewer charges for a water leak which adversely affected their sewer winter average as a consequence of the customer’s failure to repair any faulty pipes and/or fixtures. Billing errors resulting from an internal town error will be reviewed and corrected as necessary to reflect the accurate and corrected billing charges in accordance with this title.
(e) Process. Requests for adjustment under this subsection shall be made by the customer not later than four months after customer’s discovery of the leak. The customer shall submit the request on forms provided by the clerk-treasurer. Adjustments to the winter average due to leaks shall be made only if the criteria set forth herein are established. The clerk-treasurer shall determine as to whether the criteria has been established; provided, however, that a customer may appeal to the town council. This section shall apply retroactively to all adjustment requests initiated on or after January 1, 2023. (Ord. 670 § 2, 2023; Ord. 662 § 12, 2022; Res. 399 § 12, 2020; Res. 399 § 3, 2020; Res. 374 § 3, 2019)