Title
Setting the 2025 Sanitary Sewer and Storm Sewer rates.
Body
WHEREAS, the mission of the Public Works Sewer Utility is to provide a basic service of transporting sanitary wastewater to the regional treatment system and to provide this service at a reasonable cost; and
WHEREAS, Sanitary Sewer Service charges pay for the cost of operating and maintaining the sewage disposal system including the principal and interest on bonds sold for system construction and rehabilitation, and for paying Saint Paul’s share of the Metropolitan Council Environmental Services’ annual budget as provided in Chapter 473, Minnesota Statutes, and in accordance with the provisions of the Clean Water Act; and
WHEREAS, RES PH 23-23 established the Water Street Special Sanitary Sewer Availability Connection Charge District that includes a connection charge for the purpose of paying for the enlargement, annual maintenance, and operational expenses associated with the sanitary sewer.
WHEREAS, additional missions of the Public Works Sewer Utility are to collect and transport storm water to the Mississippi River through a separate system of pipes, to improve the quality of our storm water discharges and to provide this service at a reasonable cost; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul pursuant to Chapter 14, Article 19, First Special Session, Laws of Minnesota, 1985, and all other laws particularly Minnesota Statutes, Section 444.075 and applicable charter provisions, enacted Ordinance #17359 (6/3/86) establishing a Storm Sewer System Charge for the purpose of paying the cost of construction, reconstruction, repair, enlargement and improvements necessitated by the separation of the combined sewer system and for the maintenance, operation and use of the separated storm sewer system; and
WHEREAS, the Storm Sewer System Charge is based on a property’s anticipated contribution of storm water runoff to the storm sewer system, and is a function of its size and land use; and
WHEREAS, the Storm Sewer System Charge ordinance provides that the City Council may, from time to time by resolution, establish Storm Sewer System Charge rates for various land use classifications excluding legally exempt properties; and
WHEREAS, revenue collected from the Storm Sewer System Charge is used to pay back Sewer Revenue Bonds sold for constructing the storm sewer system and for paying for its operation and maintenance; and
WHEREAS, state, federal and watershed district mandated environmental programs have been imposed upon Saint Paul without accompanying funds; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul pursuant to Chapter 81, Section 81.08 and applicable charter provisions, enacted Ordinance # 19-29 (5/28/19) establishing green infrastructure stormwater management districts for the Snelling Midway Superblock (RES 19-1246) and Ford Site Redevelopment (RES 20-672). This establishment includes a connection charge for the purpose of paying for the annual maintenance and operational expenses associated with the storm sewer systems serving the individual parcels of land; and
Now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that pursuant to Section 77.02 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code pertaining to Sanitary Sewer Service Charges and upon the recommendation of City Administration, the Council of the City of Saint Paul does hereby establish the amount and basis for Sanitary Sewer Service Charges to be levied and collected effective January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024 as follows:
A flat rate of $5.65 per 100 cubic feet
Be it FURTHER RESOLVED, that this rate reflects a 10% increase over the 2024 Sanitary Sewer Service Charge rate.
SANITARY SEWER VOLUME CHARGE
Properties served by meters one inch and smaller shall be billed quarterly. Properties served by meters larger than one inch shall be billed monthly, with the exception of one and two family homes which shall be charged quarterly. Charges for one and two family dwellings for the billing year shall be determined by the amount of water consumed, regardless of the size of the water meter, and the amount billed shall never be greater than the amount of water consumed during the quarter consisting of the first three months prior to the first billing of the year, except for those dwellings assessed minimum charges. Charges for all other properties, regardless of the size of the meter, shall be based on actual water consumption for each billing period.
SANITARY SEWER MINIMUM VOLUME CHARGE
A minimum sanitary sewer volume charge shall be levied and assessed to every property based upon water meter size. The minimum charge below shall reflect part of the fixed cost for basic sewer service:
|
Water Meter Size |
Minimum Volume Charge |
Bill Cycle |
|
< 1“ |
$ 7.20 |
per quarter |
|
1” (single family dwelling) |
7.20 |
per quarter |
|
1” (other) |
12.60 |
per quarter |
|
1-1/2” |
8.80 |
per month |
|
2” |
20.00 |
per month |
|
3” |
42.00 |
per month |
|
4” |
104.00 |
per month |
|
6” |
200.00 |
per month |
|
8” |
344.00 |
per month |
|
10” |
492.00 |
per month |
|
12” |
680.00 |
per month |
SANITARY SEWER BASE FEE
A sanitary sewer base fee shall be levied and assessed to every property based upon water meter size and shall be applied during every billing cycle, as shown below:
|
Water Meter Size |
Base Fee |
Bill Cycle |
|
< 1“ |
$ 9.90 |
per quarter |
|
1” (single family dwelling) |
9.90 |
per quarter |
|
1” (other) |
27.42 |
per quarter |
|
1-1/2” |
12.90 |
per month |
|
2” |
16.34 |
per month |
|
3” |
23.10 |
per month |
|
4” |
28.88 |
per month |
|
6” |
40.82 |
per month |
|
8” |
51.65 |
per month |
|
10” |
61.94 |
per month |
|
12” |
74.18 |
per month |
Be it FURTHER RESOLVED, that this rate reflects a 10% increase over the 2024 Sanitary Sewer Base fee.
Be it FURTHER RESOLVED, that pursuant to Section 81.05 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code pertaining to Storm Sewer System Charges and upon recommendation of City Administration, the Council of the City of Saint Paul does hereby establish the amount and basis for Storm Sewer System Charges to be levied and collected effective January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025.
|
STORM SEWER SYSTEM CHARGE |
|
Class |
Land Use Classification |
2025 RATE |
SIZE |
|
A |
Cemeteries, golf courses, parks, unimproved vacant land & and one- and two-family residential land in excess of 1/3rd acre |
$220.25 |
Acre |
|
B |
Railroad right of way |
440.51 |
Acre |
|
C |
One- and two-family residential properties less than 1/3rd acre |
131.68 |
Parcel |
|
D |
Condominiums and town houses |
88.57 |
Unit |
|
E |
Public and private schools and community centers |
1,208.96 |
Acre |
|
F |
Multiple dwellings, churches, synagogues and Gov't Bldgs. |
1,613.54 |
Acre |
|
G |
Commercial and industrial properties |
2,173.71 |
Acre |
Formatted Table 1
Be it FINALLY RESOLVED, that these rates reflect a 10% increase over the 2025 Storm Sewer System Charge rates.