City of Spokane

Spokane Municipal Code

***Note: Many local criminal codes can now be located under Chapter 10.60 SMC while others are now cited under the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), which was incorporated into the municipal code in 2022. (See SMC 10.58.010). Code Enforcement, including Noise Control and Animal Regulations are located in Chapters 10.62 through 10.74.

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Title 13
Chapter 13.03
Section 13.03.1312
 

Title 13 Public Utilities and Services

Chapter 13.03 Sewers

Section 13.03.1312 User Charge Based on Volume
  1. Sewerage user charges established on the basis of wastewater volumes calculated upon City water meter readings shall be adjusted on request to reflect water volumes consumed on the property of the customer for irrigation, evaporation equipment, steam equipment, product additions or other similar consumptive water uses, that do not contribute wastewater loading to the municipal sewage collection and treatment system, as provided hereafter.
  1. Meters of a design approved in coordination with the director and department of water and hydroelectric services may be installed by the user for the purpose of adjusting the volume of water consumption to establish actual wastewater loading to the municipal sewage collection and treatment system to determine the proper sewage user charge.
    1. Each account may be assessed an additional forty percent of basic service charges per meter.
    1. Meter installations used to determine actual wastewater loadings of the municipal sewage treatment and collection system must be approved by the director.
    1. Effective January 1, 1988, all new commercial and industrial users will be allowed volume discounts only when a separate approved water meter is provided at the owner’s expense to quantify the actual volume not discharging to the sewer (lawn sprinkling).
  1. The water meter must be a positive displacement meter with a digital dial totalizer reading in hundreds of cubic feet.
    1. The totalizer must not turn over more than once per year during the first year of installation.
    1. The equipment of plumbing following a water meter used for wastewater flow reduction must not contain overflows or valves that can discharge to the sanitary sewer system.
    1. The City shall be permitted access to the premises for meter reading and confirming that the water use is as stated by the user.
  1. Upon written request, and subject to the approval of the director, the volume of wastewater loading of the municipal sewage collection and treatment system for any specific user may be determined on the basis of the average of the amounts of water consumed per month by the user during a five-month period commencing on the date of a water meter reading in the month of November and concluding on the date of a water meter reading in the following month of April, which average shall be computed annually after the water meter reading in April of each succeeding year.
    1. This estimated computation has a fee of two dollars six cents per month.

Date Passed: Monday, November 18, 2013

Effective Date: Wednesday, January 1, 2014

ORD C35056 Section 14