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City of Vancouver, Washington

Vancouver Municipal Code

Return to Chapter 14.04 WATER AND SEWER USE--REGULATIONS AND CHARGES*

Section 14.04.210 Water service--User charges.

A.    Base charge, all customer classes.

    1. For all water customers, each customer shall pay a monthly base charge as follows:

    2.    The monthly base charge set in (1) does not include any charge for consumption of water.

    3.    The monthly base charge for any single family residential customer shall not exceed the charge set in (b) above.

B.    Volume Charge (uniform volume).

    1.    In addition to the monthly base charge in subsection A(1), each customer shall pay the following additional charge on his/her bill, based upon the amount of water consumed per each billing period:

Effective January 1, 2009:

    2. All volume charges are computed per hundred cubic feet (CCF).

    3. “Single family customer”  class shall include mobile homes either on individual lots or in mobile home parks.

    4. “Multi-family customer”  class shall apply to customers with two or more living units per meter.

    5. “Industrial customers”  include only lagoon users inside city limits and electronics and related manufacturing facilities outside city limits.  All other industrial users shall be charged at commercial rates.

    6. For the purpose of applying the rates as set forth in subsection B(1) above, the term non-profit shelters shall be defined to mean a facility operated by a non-profit organization that provides clients with on site food, beds or shelter for free or at significantly below market rates.

C.  Charges for Cutting Off and Restoring Service.

    1.  Service cut off.

        a.  Cutting off service for non payment.  There shall be a forty dollar charge to cut off service for nonpayment.  There shall be no additional charge for restoring service after such cut-off.

        b.  Emergencies - cut off.  No cut-off charge shall be made if service is cut off to meet an actual emergency.

        c.  Customer request.  No cut-off charge shall be made if service is cut off at customer's request for the first such request.

    2. Starting or Restoring Service.  

        a.  For starting or restoring service at the customer’s request, the charge shall be no charge for the first such request during regular working hours, and a fee of fifty dollars for each such request outside of regular office hours.

        b. Tampered meter.  If the meter had been tampered with so that a padlock was required at the time of service cut off, the charge for resumption of service shall be fifteen dollars additional to all other charges in this section.

        c.  Multiple cut off/restoration requests.  For customers who require more than one trip to the service address to cut off or restore service at their request, there shall be a fee of twenty-five dollars per each additional trip.

D. Testing Meters - Customer’s Request.  Schedule of meter test charges for test of a meter at the request of a customer where meter is found not defective:

Meters tested and found to be defective will be replaced at no cost to the customer for testing or for replacement.

E. Testing Meters - Other Than at Customer's Request.  The city reserves the right to test meters at any time.  No charge will be made to the customer for meters tested pursuant to this subsection.

F. Meter Installation and Servicing:

    Note 1. The city does not install service larger than 2 inch.  For larger services the customer is responsible for submitting drawings for city approval and for installation of the service.

    Note 2. Prices available upon request.

G. Meter and Service Relocates

Effective June 1, 2004, rates for relocation of water service shall be as follows:

Service relocate fifteen (15’) feet and less    $200.00

Service relocate over fifteen (15’) feet        $900 00

Meter box raise/raise yoke fee                $100.00

One (1”) inch yoke replacement fee            $200.00

Half street restoration pass-through fee        $2,000.00 (Note 3)

    Note 3. The half street restoration pass-through fee applies only to service relocates which involve street cuts located within Clark County’s transportation system for which Clark County imposes a half street restoration requirement for service relocates in the following three circumstances:

        1. Service is located on an arterial street.

        2. Service is located on a rural collector.

3. Service is located on a street that has been overlayed within five (5) years prior to the street cut.

H. C ommencing January 1, 2005, and effective January 1 of each year thereafter, the fees set by subsections (F) and (G) of this section shall be adjusted annually at a rate based upon the change in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers for the Portland-Vancouver Metropolitan Area as prepared by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics and as published as of the preceding December 31st. The annual fee adjustment for each rate category shall be rounded to the nearest five ($5.00) dollars. This annual adjustment shall not apply to the “Meter Only” fees.  

I. Temporary Water service for construction projects.

Persons requesting temporary water service from city hydrants for use during construction or for other purposes shall apply for a temporary water use permit on forms prescribed by the city. Such permits shall be subject to conditions of use set forth therein, including provisions for cross connection and other measures prescribed by the Director to ensure the public safety and health and water conservation. The fees for such temporary water use permits shall be as follows:

1. Single family residential construction customer - $25 flat fee for duration of construction permit for the residence, not to exceed twelve months.

2. Single family subdivision construction customer - $25/lot flat fee for duration of construction permit for the subdivision, not to exceed twelve months.

3. Commercial or industrial construction customer - $75/month per connection point for duration of construction permit for the project.  Mobile truck mount permit - $125 per month. Water containers 3,000 - 10,000 gallons capacity - $300 per month.  Water containers less than 3,000 gallons capacity - $125 per month.

4. Limited term use permits for two weeks or less - $50 flat fee.

K.  A water document recording fee in the amount of $50 will be collected in advance of the installation of a new water meter that requires payment of a system development charge.

(Ord. M-3096 § 1, 1993; Ord. M-3061 §1, 1993; Ord. M-2920 § 1, 1990; Ord. M-2913 § 1, 1990; Ord. M-2848 § 1, 1989; Ord. M-2659 § 2, 1986; Ord. M-2520 § 2, 1985; Ord. M-2278 § 1, 1982; Ord. M-2256 §§ 1-4, 1981; Ord. M-2166 § 1, 1980; Ord. M-2144 §§ 1-8, 1980)

(M-3899, Amended, 11/17/2008, Sec 1-Effective 01/01/2009, Prior Text; M-3755, Amended, 08/28/2006, Sec 16 - Effective 10/01/2006, Prior Text; M-3689, Amended, 01/24/2005, Sec 1, Prior Text; M-3651, Amended, 04/19/2004, Sec 1, Prior Text; M-3398, Amended, 10/05/1998, Prior Text; M-3337, Amended, 12/15/1997)