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ANNUAL AND SEASONAL RATES
UNMETERED DOMESTIC AND
COMMERCIAL RATES
Availability
This schedule is available for all existing unmetered domestic and commercial water services in the
territory, including both yearly and seasonal, except municipal and private
fire protection, but will not be available for new services installed after
the effective date of these rates unless such services are deemed by the
utility to be unsuitable for metering.
Minimum Charge
The Minimum Charge under these Unmetered
Rates shall be the Family or First Fixture Charge.
Rates
The following charges are “per year” for
yearly customers and “per season” for seasonal customers.
Whether the billing is semi-annual or annual will be at the option of the
Company.
Family Charge (includes faucet
in kitchen sink, set tubs and lavatory), First Fixture or any single water
connection:
$124.94
Each additional Fixture: $ 16.74
Each additional Family having
use of a first fixture, toilet, bathtub or shower in common, an additional
charge shall be made for each such fixture, toilet, bath tub or shower used
in common of:
$ 16.74
Building Purposes
Applies to all Divisions of the Biddeford
and Saco Water Company.
A deposit of $25.00 will be required of a Contractor or
Owner for a service with water used during construction. The Company will
repay this deposit less a charge per month equal to the minimum meter rate
applying in that division for the elapsed time between the installation of
the service and the notice by the Contractor or Owner that he has finished
with the use of the service for construction.
It is required of the applicant for this service that
the Company be notified when construction is completed and the structure is
ready for use, so that the service can be billed under one of the standard
rates of the Company.
Discount
On the July billings for Seasonal Customers, a discount
of $2.00 will be allowed if paid on or before the 20th of July
or within twenty (20) days of the date of the bill.
Discounts will only apply provided no previous bill
remains unpaid.
ANNUAL METER RATE
Availability
This schedule is applicable to all Customers in the
territory taking water service continuously throughout the twelve months of
the year, except for municipal and private fire protection, to be used
solely by the Customer on his own premises.
Rate:
Consumption Charge
Quarterly
Billing
First 1,200 cu. ft. or any part thereof per Quarter $31.20
Next 7,800 cu. ft. per Quarter 1.2950
per 100 cu. ft.
Next 21,000 cu. ft. per Quarter 0.9095
per 100 cu. ft.
Next 60,000 cu. ft. per Quarter 0.6479
per 100 cu. ft.
Excess 90,000 cu. ft. per Quarter 0.5610
per 100 cu. ft.
Monthly Billing
First 400 cu. ft. or any part thereof per Month $10.40
Next 2,600 cu. ft. per Month 1.2950
per 100 cu. ft.
Next 7,000 cu. ft. per Month 0.9095
per 100 cu. ft.
Next 20,000 cu. ft. per Month 0.6479
per 100 cu. ft.
Excess 30,000 cu. ft. per Month 0.5610
per 100 cu. ft.
Each meter shall be billed in accordance with this
schedule. Meters on different services, but serving the same Customer will
not be added together under one billing, but each
meter will be billed separately in accordance with this schedule.
Minimum Charge
The Minimum Charge for different sizes of meters will be
billed on either the monthly or quarterly basis in accordance with the
Company's billing procedure, and these minimums shall be as follows:
Meter
Monthly Quarterly
Size Allowance Charge
Allowance Charge
5/8" 400 $
10.40 1,200 $ 31.20
3/4" 600 12.99 1,800 38.97
1" 1,100 19.47 3,300 58.40
1-1/2"
1,800 28.53 5,400 85.59
2" 5,200 64.08 15,600 192.24
3" 9,000 98.64 27,000
295.92
4" 24,400
201.03
73,200 603.10
6" 41,700
302.95 125,100 908.86
8" 99,700
628.33 299,100
1,885.00
10"
122,300
755.12 366,900
2,265.35
SEASONAL METER RATE
Availability
This schedule applies to all Seasonal Customers using
water service less than twelve months of the year, including Customers who
use water from the Company on an intermittent basis to supplement their own
source of water supply, or for purposes of irrigation.
Whenever necessary to prorate a bill for a Seasonal Customer a
"Season" shall be defined as the period between April 15 and
October 15 of each year.
Rate:
Consumption Charge
First 2,400 cu. ft. or fraction thereof per season $124.38
Next 27,600 cu. ft. per season 1.4700
per 100 cu. ft.
Next 70,000 cu. ft. per season 1.3084
per 100 cu. ft.
Excess 100,000 cu. ft. per season 0.7720
per 100 cu. ft.
Each meter shall be billed in accordance with this
schedule. Meters on different services, but serving the same customer, will
not be added together under one billing, but each
meter will be billed separately in accordance with this schedule.
Minimum Charge
The Minimum Charge for the season for various sizes of meters
shall be as follows:
Meter Consumption
Minimum
Size Allowed Per
Season
5/8" 2,400 $ 124.38
3/4" 3,600 142.02
1-1/2" 17,700 349.29
2" 48,200 768.23
3"
80,400 1,189.53
6"
368,500 3,518.80
The Company will bill this minimum charge when the water
is first turned on, or else on July 1 of each year. A discount of $2.00
will be allowed on this bill if paid on or before July 20, or within (20)
days from the date of the bill provided no previous bill remains unpaid. No
other discount will be allowed.
ANNUAL AND SEASONAL RATES
FOR PRIVATE FIRE PROTECTION
Connections to Supply Automatic Sprinklers
and/or Private Hydrants
For each
2" connection…. $ 170.62 per Year or
Season
For each
4" connection…. $ 341.08 per Year or
Season
For each
6" connection…. $ 483.16 per Year or
Season
For each
8" connection…. $ 824.24 per Year or
Season
For each
10" connection... $ 1,051.58 per Year or Season
For each
12" connection... $ 1,543.30 per Year or Season
Private
Hydrants, each...... $ 113.14 per Year or
Season
Automatic
Sprinklers….... No additional charge over and
above the connection charge
HYDRANT AND MUNICIPAL RATES
FOR
CITIES AND TOWNS SERVED
Availability
This schedule is available to all Cities and Towns
serviced, as listed below:
I. For Standard Fire Hydrants connected to the utility's
system on July 25, 2008, there shall be paid to the utility by the
municipality served a Monthly Fire Protection Charge as follows:
City of Biddeford
For the 477 Standard Fire Hydrants………
$ 22,772.55 per month
City of Saco
For the 418 Standard Fire Hydrants………
$ 19,955.82 per month
Town of Old
Orchard
Town of
Scarborough
For the 82 Standard Fire Hydrants…...…... $ 3,914.78 per month
Total Monthly
Charge:………..…….……. $ 56,955.25
Total Annual Charge:……………………..
$683,463.00
II. A charge of 1% per month will be assessed after 30 days from the
billing date on all unpaid fire protection charges.
III. For each
additional Standard Fire Hydrant connected to any main on or after July 28,
2008, charges will be governed by Chapter 690 of the Commission's Rules and
Regulations.
CUSTOMER DISCONTINUANCE OR
INTERRUPTION CHARGE
A charge of $5.00 will be made by the Company for turning off and
turning on again water service at the request of the Customer during normal
business hours (7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) Monday through Friday. If the
customer requests these services be performed other than during normal
business hours, the charge will be $30.00.
INSTALLATION OF
REMOTE READING METER
A charge of $25.00 will be made by the
Company for installing a remote reading meter on an existing service if the
remote reading meter is a 5/8" or 3/4" meter and is installed at
the request of the Customer for his convenience.
RULES AND
REGULATIONS
The following rules and regulations supplemented by subsequent Tariff Amendments, and by Chapters 62 and 81 of the
Commission's Rules and Regulations shall, upon a customer's application for
or acceptance of service, constitute a contract between that customer and
the Biddeford and Saco Water Company.
1.Obtaining a Service.
Application for service shall be made at the office of the Water Company on
forms provided by the Water Company. Every building supplied with water
shall have a separate service and at least one meter unless otherwise
approved by the Water Company.
2.Water Company Jobbing. Whenever
the Water Company undertakes work for a customer at the customer's expense,
application for such work shall be made in writing at the office of the
Water Company on forms provided by the Water Company.
3.Fee for Disconnection and
Reconnection of Water Service. The Water Company charges the following
fees to turn on a water service that was turned off either at the
customer's request or because of nonpayment:
a. During regular business hours $5.00
b. After regular business hours $30.00
4.Winter Construction. No new
service or main extension will be installed for the convenience of a
customer during winter conditions which increase the cost of the work for
the Water Company unless the customer assumes all expense over ordinary
construction costs.
5.Seasonal Customer. Any customer
who vacates his property and discontinues water service for three months or
more a year will be classified as a seasonal customer and billed at the
seasonal meter rate unless otherwise approved by the Water Company. The
Water Company will convert a seasonal customer to annual status after that
customer completes twelve consecutive months of water service, and so
notifies the Water Company.
6.Waste of Water by Flat Rate
Customers. Customers on flat rates shall not waste water. If the Water
Company determines that a flat rate customer is wasting water, the Company
will install a meter on the customer's service at the customer's expense.
The customer will then be billed for water use in accordance with the
appropriate meter rate.
7. Conditions of Service.
a. Customers Responsibility to Safeguard their Apparatus.
All customers having direct pressure water devices, including but not
limited to hot water tanks, or secondary systems supplied by automatic feed
valves, should install and maintain in operating condition appropriate
vacuum, temperature, and pressure relief valves or cutouts to prevent
damage to the water device, the secondary system or their appurtenances
should it become necessary to shut off the water main or service, or should
a pressure failure occur for any other reason. Water service supplied to
any customer not providing and maintaining such protective devices will be
strictly at the risk of the customer. The Water Company shall not be liable
for damage resulting from the lack of, or failure of, such protective
devices.
b. Pressure Fluctuation Caused by Customer's Apparatus. No
customer shall install or use water consumption apparatus which will affect
the Water Company's pressure or operating conditions so as to interfere
with the service of another customer. Any customer who has apparatus which
requires water in sudden and/or material quantities that affect system
pressure to the detriment, damage , or disadvantage of other customers,
shall equip that apparatus with devices which confine such fluctuation of
demand or reduction of pressure to reasonable limits as determined by the
Water Company. If after receiving written notice from the Water Company, a
customer who is operating such apparatus fails or refuses to present an
acceptable remedial plan within a time limit set by the Water Company, his
service will be discontinued.
c.Cross
Connections. No cross connection between the public water supply system
and any potential source of contamination will be allowed unless properly
protected and supervised in accordance with Department of Human Services
rules, the Water Company's cross connection control program, and the Public
Utilities Commission's Chapter 62 service standards. If a customer, after
receiving written notice from the Water Company, fails or refuses to break
or properly protect such a connection within a time limit specified by the
Water Company, service will be discontinued.
d.Service
Pipe Material. A customer's use of service pipe materials not approved
by the Water Company shall constitute grounds for requiring that customer
to furnish, install and maintain at his expense a suitable underground
meter vault.
8.Meters
a.Submetering.
If auxiliary meters are desired by a customer to show subdivision of
supply, that customer shall furnish, install, read and maintain those
meters at his expense.
b.Meter
Maintenance. Meters will be tested by the Water Company on a regular
basis generally in accordance with the time-in-service or volume metered
schedule below:
Meters
Nominal Size of Test Interval Cubic
Meter Inches Years Feet
5/8" 8 100,000
3/4" 8 150,000
1" 8 300,000
1-1/2" 6 450,000
2" 6 750,000
3" 4
4" 2
6" or larger 1
c. Meter Accuracy Test. The Water Company will test a customer's
meter if requested. Such tests will be at the expense of the Water Company
unless a customer requests tests more frequently than one in eighteen (18)
months, in which case a $25.00 deposit will be required in advance. Such
deposits will be retained by the Water Company to cover test costs if the
meter is found to conform with the Commission's
accuracy standards. If the meter does not meet Commission standards, the
deposit will either be refunded or credited to the customer's account.
9.BILLING PROCEDURE
The Water Company's billing procedures are as follows:
a.Annual Customers
1.Monthly meter customers billed in arrears.
2.Quarterly meter
customers billed in arrears.
3.Flat rate
customers billed semi-annually in advance.
b.Seasonal Customers
1.Meter customers billed seasonally in
advance and arrears.
2.Flat rate
customers billed seasonally in advance and arrears.
c.Private fire
protection billed monthly in arrears.
d.Private fire
protection billed semi-annually and annually in advance and arrears.
10.RESPONSIBILITY FOR WATER CHARGES
Where there is more than one occupant of a building supplied with water,
the plumbing must be so arranged by the owner as to permit separate
connections with shutoffs and meters in locations acceptable to the
utility, for each place of business or abode, unless the owner of the
premises makes application for service and thereupon assumes responsibility
for payment of all charges for water service rendered to the property.
11.FIRE HYDRANTS
Fire hydrants may not be used for any purpose other than extinguishment
of fires, or such other purposes as may be agreed upon by the Water Company
and the municipality or owner of a private hydrant. In no case shall fire
hydrants be operated by a person other than an agent of the Water Company,
or a duly authorized representative of the municipality or owner.
12.PRIVATE FIRE
PROTECTION
Customers requiring fire protection should contact the Water Company to
ascertain the availability of fire service at their location. The Water
Company will not guarantee any pressure or quantity of water through a fire
protection service.
13.NO TAMPERING WITH WATER COMPANY PROPERTY
There shall be no tampering with Water Company Property. No valve,
shutoff, hydrant or standpipe, which is the property of the Water Company,
shall be opened, closed or otherwise operated by persons not authorized by
the Water Company.
14.UNAUTHORIZED USE OF WATER
No customer shall supply water to another, nor shall water be used for
any purpose other than normal domestic and fire usage without Water Company
approval. No authorized person shall obtain water from a hydrant or other
Water Company fixture without prior Water Company consent.
15.NO LIABILITY FOR INTERRUPTED OR UNSATISFACTORY SERVICE
The Water Company will not be responsible for damage caused by temporary
shutoff or shortage of supply, work on system piping and meters,
discontinuance of service for non-payment, or any other construction or
routine maintenance project.
Notice of unplanned shutoffs will be given when practical, but nothing
in the rules shall be construed as requiring the giving of such notice.
The Water Company will not be responsible for damage caused by discolored
water or unsatisfactory water service which may be occasioned by the
cleaning of pipes, reservoirs, or standpipes, the opening or closing of any
valve or hydrant, or any abnormal condition.
BIDDEFORD AND
SACO WATER COMPANY
TARIFF AMENDMENTS
DISCONNECTION AND DEPOSIT
RULES FOR
NON-RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS
Except to the extent identified below, the utility's policies shall be
governed by Chapter 81 of the Commission's Rules and Regulations.
1) Sections 3(a)(4), 4(E), 4(F), 5(F), 7(B),
7(C), 10, 11, 15 and 17 shall not apply.
2) The Company may require a deposit from any nonresident customer as a
precondition of service. The deposit shall not exceed the estimated amount
of two billing periods. The customer may elect to pay the required deposit
in two equal installments; however, the customer's failure to pay any
portion of the deposit will subject the customer to disconnection
procedures.
3) Upon return of any deposits held in excess of six months, the Water
Company shall pay interest retroactive for the entire period of deposit and
computed at the currently effective rate under the applicable Commission
rule.
INTEREST RATES TO BE PAID ON
CUSTOMER DEPOSITS
The interest rate on customer deposits shall be the rate set by the
Public Utilities Commission in accordance with Chapter 870 of the Public
Utilities Commission Rules and Regulations.
CHARGE FOR RETURNED CHECKS
A charge of $5.00 will be made by the Company for each check returned
for nonpayment to the Company.
COLLECTION CHARGES FOR
SINGLE METER, MULTI-UNIT
PROPERTIES
Pursuant to 35A MRSA Sec. 706, and
MPUC Regulations Chapter 810, Section 9, I (4), Biddeford and Saco Water
Company establishes the following as a tariff or reasonable fees for the
collection of unpaid balances due from landlords of single meter,
multi-unit dwellings, prior to actual discontinuance of service:
Item 1:Deliver notice to tenants of impending discontinuance and
opportunity to assume responsibility for future service and post notice at
or near dwelling, all in accordance with MPUC rules. $20.00
Total Item 1 $20.00
Item 2:Preparation and filing of a lien
against Landlord.
a.Research in Registry of Deeds and municipal
tax records as appropriate to determine correct identity of all record
owners of subject realty $100.00
b.Drafting of lien certificate $75.00
Total Item 2 $175.00
Item 3:Commencement of lien enforcement
action in District Court.
a.Drafting of lien complaint and summons
$125.00
b.Filing of same in District Court $25.00
c.Attendance at hearings $100.00
Total Item 3 $250.00
Item 4:Additional required costs shall be
included in Company charges, as specifically applicable, including:
certified mail charges, Registry charges, Sheriff fees and court entry
fees.
Such fees are independent from any fees imposed as a result of any
action taken by the Biddeford and Saco Water Company pursuant to 35A MRSA
Sec. 6111. If a single meter, multi-unit dwelling is disconnected for
nonpayment of an overdue amount, this schedule also authorizes the Company
to specify changes in plumbing at the property owner's expense to allow
separate metering of each dwelling unit.
Lien Charges for Multi-UnitResidential Rental Property
Before disconnection for nonpayment of a multi-unit residential rental
property, the Biddeford and Saco Water Company will enforce lien rights in
accordance with 35A MRSA Sec. 6111. Such
rights shall be exercised only on applicable unpaid balances after the
expiration of three months and within one year of the date when the same
became due and payable. A $175.00 charge for lien notification,
preparation, filing, and processing will be added to the past due amount
and included as part of the lien.
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