180-25 - NOTICE OF HEARING ON PROPOSED RATES AND CHARGES
NOTICE OF HEARING ON PROPOSED RATES AND CHARGES
Property owners and other interested parties in the Town of Winamac, Indiana, are hereby notified that Ordinance No. 20 of 2025, an Ordinance Establishing a Schedule of Rates and Charges to be Collected by the Town of Winamac, Indiana, from the Owners of Property Served by the Sewage Works of Said Town, Amending Ordinance No. 8 of 2016, and Other Matters Connected therewith, was introduced at a meeting of the Town of Winamac Town Council on October 13, 2025. The Winamac Town Council will hold a public hearing on November 10, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. (EST) in the Winamac Municipal Utilities Complex, 623 W. 11th St., Winamac, IN, 46996, on the matter of rates and charges, and consideration of the adoption of said Ordinance No. 20 of 2025. At the hearing, and prior to adoption of any amendments to said Ordinance, all interested parties may appear and be heard. A copy of the proposed amendments to Ordinance No. 20 of 2025 may be examined at the Office of the Clerk-Treasurer, during normal business hours.
Phase 1 to go into effect January 19, 2026:
All Users
(Outside Corporate Town boundaries rates and charges are approximately 14.9% higher than the rates and charges for customers inside the Corporate Town boundaries.)
Inside Corporate Town Boundaries
1) Treatment Rate – per 1,000 gallons of usage per month:
User Charge Debt Service Total
$7.32 $3.74 11.06
Plus:
2) Base Rate – per month as follows:
Base Rate
User Charge Debt Service Total
5/8” – 3/4” water meter $ 8.73 $ 11.70 $ 20.43
1” water meter 14.39 29.20 43.59
1 1/4” water meter 20.11 46.85 66.96
1 1/2” water meter 26.82 67.85 94.67
2” water meter 42.54 117.05 159.59
3” water meter 91.49 269.20 360.69
4” water meter 159.17 479.80 638.97
6” water meter 350.98 1,076.70 1,427.68
Outside Corporate Town Boundaries
3) Treatment Rate – per 1,000 gallons of usage per month:
User Charge Debt Service Total
$8.41 $4.30 $12.71
Plus:
4) Base Rate – per month as follows:
Base Rate
User Charge Debt Service Total
5/8” – 3/4” water meter $ 10.08 $ 13.40 $ 23.48
1” water meter 16.51 33.60 50.11
1 1/4” water meter 23.06 53.90 76.96
1 1/2” water meter 30.84 78.00 108.84
2” water meter 48.95 134.55 183.50
3” water meter 105.16 309.55 414.71
4” water meter 182.96 551.85 734.81
6” water meter 403.63 1,238.20 1641.83
Phase 2 to go into effect July 20, 2026:
All Users
(Outside Corporate Town boundaries rates and charges are approximately 14.9% higher than the rates and charges for customers inside the Corporate Town boundaries.)
Inside Corporate Town Boundaries
1) Treatment Rate – per 1,000 gallons of usage per month:
User Charge Debt Service Total
$8.09 $3.74 $11.83
Plus:
2) Base Rate – per month as follows:
Base Rate
User Charge Debt Service Total
5/8” – 3/4” water meter $ 10.15 $ 11.70 $ 21.85
1” water meter 17.43 29.20 46.63
1 1/4” water meter 24.78 46.85 71.63
1 1/2” water meter 33.41 67.85 101.26
2” water meter 53.66 117.05 170.71
3” water meter 116.62 269.20 385.82
4” water meter 203.68 479.80 683.48
6” water meter 450.45 1,076.70 1,527.15
Outside Corporate Town Boundaries
3) Treatment Rate – per 1,000 gallons of usage per month:
User Charge Debt Service Total
$9.29 $4.30 $13.59
Plus:
4) Base Rate – per month as follows:
Base Rate
User Charge Debt Service Total
5/8” – 3/4” water meter $ 11.71 $ 13.40 $ 25.11
1” water meter 20.01 33.60 53.61
1 1/4” water meter 28.42 53.90 82.32
1 1/2” water meter 38.42 78.00 116.42
2” water meter 61.74 134.55 196.29
3” water meter 134.05 309.55 443.60
4” water meter 234.15 551.85 786.00
6” water meter 518.01 1,238.20 1,756.21
Phase 3 to go into effect January 20, 2027:
All Users
(Outside Corporate Town boundaries rates and charges are approximately 14.9% higher than the rates and charges for customers inside the Corporate Town boundaries.)
Inside Corporate Town Boundaries
1) Treatment Rate – per 1,000 gallons of usage per month:
User Charge Debt Service Total
$8.76 $3.74 $12.50
Plus:
2) Base Rate – per month as follows:
Base Rate
User Charge Debt Service Total
5/8” – 3/4” water meter $ 11.39 $ 11.70 $ 23.09
1” water meter 20.07 29.20 49.27
1 1/4” water meter 28.84 46.85 75.69
1 1/2” water meter 39.15 67.85 107.00
2” water meter 63.34 117.05 180.39
3” water meter 138.49 269.20 407.69
4” water meter 242.42 479.80 722.22
6” water meter 537.01 1,076.70 1,613.71
Outside Corporate Town Boundaries
3) Treatment Rate – per 1,000 gallons of usage per month:
User Charge Debt Service Total
$10.06 $4.30 $14.36
Plus:
4) Base Rate – per month as follows:
Base Rate
User Charge Debt Service Total
5/8” – 3/4” water meter $13.14 $ 13.40 $26.54
1” water meter 23.04 33.60 56.64
1 1/4” water meter 33.09 53.90 86.99
1 1/2” water meter 45.02 78.00 123.02
2” water meter 72.86 134.55 207.41
3” water meter 159.20 309.55 468.75
4” water meter 278.66 551.85 830.51
6” water meter 617.48 1,238.20 1,855.68
(a) For users of the Sewage Works that are unmetered water users or accurate meter readings are not available, the monthly charge shall be determined as an average of single-family dwelling units, except as herein provided. Sewage service bills shall be rendered once each month (or period equaling a month). The schedule on which said rates and charges shall be determined is amended as follows:
Phase 1 to go into effect January 19, 2026:
Inside Corporate Town Boundaries
User Charge Debt Service Total
Residential:
Single Family residence/unit/month $41.72 $28.40 $70.12
Outside Corporate Town Boundaries
User Charge Debt Service Total
Residential:
Single Family residence/unit/month $47.95 $32.65 $80.60
Phase 2 to go into effect July 20, 2026:
Inside Corporate Town Boundaries
User Charge Debt Service Total
Residential:
Single Family residence/unit/month $46.60 $28.40 $75.00
Outside Corporate Town Boundaries
User Charge Debt Service Total
Residential:
Single Family residence/unit/month $53.56 $32.65 $86.21
Phase 3 to go into effect January 20, 2027:
Inside Corporate Town Boundaries
User Charge Debt Service Total
Residential:
Single Family residence/unit/month $50.85 $28.40 $79.25
Outside Corporate Town Boundaries
User Charge Debt Service Total
Residential:
Single Family residence/unit/month $58.45 $32.65 $91.10
Unmetered “Non-Residential Single Family Dwelling Units” shall be charged a rate to be determined by the Town on an individual basis by applying the above metered rates to estimated usage and meter size.
(b) For the services rendered to the Town of Winamac, said Town shall be subject to the same rates and charges hereinabove provided, or to charges and rates established in harmony therewith.
(c) In order to recover the cost of monitoring industrial wastes the Town shall charge the user the actual cost of monitoring but no less than $60.00 per sampling event. This charge will be reviewed on the same basis as all other rates and charges in this ordinance.
Section 4. The quantity of water discharged into the sewage system and obtained from sources other than the utility that serves the Town shall be determined by the Town in such manner as the Town shall reasonably elect, and the sewage service shall be billed at the above appropriate rates; except, as is hereinafter provided in this section. The Town may make proper allowances in determining the sewage bill for quantities of water shown on the records to be consumed, but which are also shown to the satisfaction of the Town that such quantities do not enter the sewage system.
(a) In the event a lot, parcel of real estate, or building discharging sanitary sewage, industrial wastes, water or other liquids into the Town sewage system, either directly or indirectly, is not a user of water supplied by the water utility serving the Town and the water used thereon or therein is not measured by a water meter, or if measured by a water meter not acceptable to the Town then the amount of water used shall be otherwise measured or determined by the Town. In order to ascertain the rate or charge provided in this ordinance, the owner or other interested party shall at his expense, install and maintain meters, weirs, volumetric measuring devices, or any adequate and approved method of measurement acceptable to the Town for determining of sewage discharge.
(b) In the event a lot, parcel of real estate, or building discharging sanitary sewage, industrial wastes, water, or other liquids in the Town’s sewage system, either directly or indirectly, is a user of water supplied by the water utility serving the Town, and in addition is a user of water from another source which is not measured by a water meter or is measured by a meter not acceptable to the Town, then the amount of water used shall be otherwise measured or determined by the Town. In order to ascertain the rates or charges, the owner or other interested parties shall, at his expense, install and maintain meters, weirs, volumetric measuring devices, or any adequate and approved method of measurement acceptable to the Town for the determination of sewage discharge.
(c) In the event two (2) or more residential lots, parcels of real estate, or buildings discharging sanitary sewage, water, or other liquids into the Town’s sewage system, either directly or indirectly, are users of water and the quantity of water is measured by a single water meter, then in each such case, for billing purposes, the quantity of water used shall be averaged for each user and the base charge and the flow rates and charges shall apply to each of the number of residential lots, parcels of real estate, or buildings served through the single water meter.
(d) In the event two (2) or more dwelling units such as mobile homes, apartments, or house-keeping rooms discharging sanitary sewage, water, or other liquids into the Town’s sanitary sewage system either directly or indirectly, are users of water and the quantity of water is measured by a single water meter, and billing for service is rendered in a single monthly bill, then in such case, billing shall be for a single service in the manner set out elsewhere herein, except that the minimum bill shall not be less than the number of such dwelling units times base rate per month as shown below:
Inside Corporate Town Boundaries $19.10
Outside Corporate Town Boundaries $21.95
(e) In order that domestic and residential users of sewage services shall not be penalized for the sprinkling of lawns during the months June, July, August, and September, the billing for sewage service for residents and/or domestic users for said months of June, July, August and September shall be based on the average water usage for the previous months of December, January, February and March. In the event the average water usage for said previous months of December, January, February and March is greater than the water usage for said months of June, July, August and September, then the billing for sewage service shall be computed on the actual water used in the month for which the sewage service bill is being rendered. Domestic and/or residential sewage service, as applicable to the sprinkling rate, shall apply to each lot, parcel of real estate or building which is occupied and used as a residence. Said sprinkling rate shall not apply to any premises which are partially or wholly used for commercial or industrial purposes. In the event a portion of such premises shall be used for commercial or industrial purposes, the owner shall have the privilege of separating the water service so that the residential portion of the premises is served through a separate meter, and in such case, the water usage as registered by the water meter serving such portion of the premises used for residential purposes would qualify under the sprinkling rate.
(f) In the event a lot, parcel of real estate or building discharging sanitary sewage, industrial waste, water or other liquids to the Town’s sewage system, either directly or indirectly, and uses water in excess of 10,000 gallons per month, and it can be shown to the satisfaction of the Town that a portion of water as measured by the water meter or meters does not and cannot enter the sanitary sewage system, then the owner or other interested party shall, at his expense, install and maintain meters, weirs, volumetric measuring devices or any adequate and approved method of measurement acceptable to the Town for the determination of sewage discharge.
(g) Where a metered water supply is used for fire protection as well as for other users, the Town may, at its discretion, make adjustments in the user charge as may be equitable.
Section 5. In order that the rates and charges may reflect the costs of providing service rendered to users, the Town shall base its charges not only on the volume, but also the strength and character of the stronger-than-normal domestic sewage and wastes which it is required to treat and dispose of. The Town shall require the user to determine the strength and content of all sewage and wastes discharged, either directly or indirectly into the sanitary sewage system, in such manner and by such method as the Town may deem practicable in order to determine the proper charge. The user shall furnish a central sampling point available to the Town at all times.
(a) Normal sewage domestic waste strength should not exceed a biochemical oxygen demand of 200 milligrams per liter of fluid or suspended solids in excess of 200 milligrams per liter of fluid. Additional charges for treating stronger-than-normal domestic waste shall be made on the following basis:
(1) Rate Surcharge Based Upon Suspended Solids. There shall be an additional charge as shown below for suspended solids received in excess of 200 milligrams per liter of fluid.
38 cents per pound of suspended solids received in excess of 200 milligrams per liter of fluid
(2) Rate Surcharge Based Upon BOD. There shall be an additional charge as shown below for BOD received in excess of 200 milligrams per liter of fluid.
38 cents per pound of biochemical oxygen demand received in excess of 200 milligrams per liter of fluid
(b) The determination of Suspended Solids, five-day Biochemical Oxygen Demand contained in the waste shall be in accordance with the current addition of “Standard Methods for the Examination of Water, Sewage and Industrial Wastes” as written by the American Public Health Association, the American Water Works Association and the Water Pollution Control Federation.
Section 6. Such rates and charges shall be prepared, billed and collected by the Town in the manner provided by law and ordinance.
(a) The rates and charges for all users shall be prepared and billed monthly. At the end of each year, each user shall be given a notice of the rates charged for operation, maintenance and replacement for that user for the previous year.
(b) The rates and charges may be billed to the tenant or tenants occupying the properties served, unless otherwise requested in writing by the owner, but such billing shall in no way relieve the owner from the liability in the event payment is not made as herein required. The owners of properties served, which are occupied by a tenant or tenants, shall have the right to examine the collection records of the Town for the purpose of determining whether bills have been paid by such tenant or tenants, provided that such examination shall be made at the office at which said records are kept and during the hours that such office is open for business.
180-25 G 10/22