Director's Rule

Title

Customer Charges Number

FIN-220.1 Rev. no.

3

Responsibility

Financial and Risk Services Branch Supersedes

N/A Pages

4

General Manager/CEO signature Approval date

Effective date

January 24, 2025

1. PURPOSE

To set charges for special services provided by Seattle Public Utilities (SPU).

2. DEFINITIONS

time and materials. The actual cost incurred by SPU for work performed, including labor, equipment, materials, applicable permit fees and taxes, pavement restoration, overhead costs, and any similar costs, which is calculated by SPU after work has been completed.

3. RULE

A. Meter Charges

1) Meter test

Size (inches) Meter Test Charge

to 2 $170

3 to 6 $375

8 $480

10 $600

12 $720

Note: Charge waived if test results fail to meet American Water Works Association (AWWA) standards.

2) Meter removal

Size (inches) Meter Removal Charge

to 1 $135

1 to 2 $215

3 and larger time and materials

3) Meter reset

Size (inches) Meter Reset Charge

to 1 $135

1 to 2 $245

3 and larger time and materials

4) Special meter read

Customer requested meter readings $60

For obstructed meter readings $125

Adjust buried, obstructed or low

meter boxes or valve boxes caused by

customer installed landscaping or

resurfacing (-inch to 2-inch meters) $465

5) Meter shutoff and meter turn-on (Requests initiated by customer, customer's contractor, agent, tenant, or emergency responders acting to protect customer's premises; and for cross-connection control program. Collection and severance meter shutoff and meter turn-on charges are listed in sections B2 and B3.)

Applies to all water services (domestic, fire, and combinations).

Meter shutoff $120 per trip

Meter turn-on $120 per trip

6) Top shutoff (TSO) installation (customer expedited request)

inch $155

1 inch $220

7) Trim customer-installed vegetation obstructing meter boxes or fire

hydrants $155

B. Collection and Severance

1) Property visit $30

2) Meter shutoff for nonpayment of utility bill $60

3) Meter turn-on once debt owed to utility is satisfied

During normal business hours

(8 am 3:30 pm, Monday-Friday,

excluding City holidays) no charge

After hours (other than normal hours) $80

4) Replace customer damaged lock $160

5) Illegal jumpers

Removal $135

Removal and slurry $220

Removal of slurry time and materials

C. Special Field Trips

On-property leak investigation and

City water service line is intact $120 per trip

Re-inspection required because

the requesting customer is not ready for

inspection by deadline or stated date $210 per trip

D. Hydrants, nonfirefighting use of

Hydrant use permit $215

Hydrant meter assembly rental $305

Note: All equipment must be returned in the same-as-issued condition. In the event of damaged or lost equipment, SPU will assess charges equal to the cost of damaged or lost equipment, including overhead cost.

Water consumption

Water consumption rates are based on the current City general service rates at the time of hydrant usage.

Water consumption for permits assigned a hydrant meter will be charged at 10 CCF per month or actual metered usage, whichever is greater. Permits assigned a hydrant meter are subject to per-day charges for the entire term of the permit if (a) there is any evidence of hydrant meter tampering, or (b) there is damage to the hydrant meter that prohibits SPU from accurately determining the amount of water used.

If SPU determines water consumption will be less than 10 CCF per day or the permit is for fewer than 30 consecutive days, per-day charges will be applied for the entire term of the permit.

Per-day charges are equal to 10 CCF at current City general service rates.

During a declared water emergency, hydrant-permit users allowed to continue their permits will be charged at the established surcharge-general service rate, if any.

E. Cross-Connection Control Program

Reminder letters to customers who do not

provide acceptable proof of satisfactory

performance test of their backflow preventers

within 30 days of receiving original notification,

or to customers who have not installed

backflow preventers as required $105 each backflow preventer

Late assembly test shutoff notice $155

F. Sewer Submeter Setup (includes plan review, inspections and billing initiation)

Initial submeter setup $533

Each subsequent submeter on

same account installed at the same time $333

G. Late Payment

Late payment: Past due balances may be subject to a monthly interest charge based on the legal rate.

H. Returned Payments

Process returned payment $25

Note: This includes all forms of payment that have been returned by a bank or other financial institution.

4. AUTHORITY/REFERENCES

SMC 21.04.465, Standard, connection, and administrative charges (water)

SMC 21.28.230, Standard and administrative charges (wastewater)

SMC 3.02, Administrative code

SMC 3.32.020, Adoption of rules

SPU Policy CS-310, Customer Billing, Payments and Collections.

SPU Director's Rule CS-310.1, Customer Billing, Payments and Collections

SPU Policy/Procedure CS-105, Cross-Connection Control Program