§ 28-214. Point of connection; extension of service.

(a)

General. The district reserves the right to establish the point of connection for all connections to district systems. In any such case, the district's determination shall be based on a balancing of the desires of an applicant for a particular point of connection for service as against costs incurred by or other effects on the district's ratepayers as a whole. Inefficiency and/or generalized or specific cost burdens on the ratepayers from use of a particular point of connection shall outweigh all but the most compelling of justifications presented by an applicant.

(b)

Extension of water and sewer service to new developments.

(1)

Who shall design and construct. The department shall determine which entity (the applicant or the department) shall design and construct the line extension to connect with the district system. The department shall not recommend, and the water and sewer district board shall not approve, agreements for service that would require existing district ratepayers to subsidize the cost of any portion of such extension, except to the extent of oversizing as provided in this section.

(2)

By applicant. Upon request by the applicant, and approval by the department, the applicant may engage his engineer to design and construct the required line extension. Design and construction shall be in accordance with the appropriate policy, standards and specifications of the department and the district.

(3)

By department. Upon request by the applicant, the department may cause to be constructed the necessary water and/or wastewater line extensions to the project. Upon receipt of said request, the department will advise the applicant of the estimated construction cost (to include engineering, legal and administrative costs) and the estimated time of completion. Payment of the estimated cost to the department will be required prior to initiating construction. Adjustment to the department, or the applicant, will be made based upon final construction costs.

(4)

Basis of extension size. Water main extensions are to be sized based upon the most current American Water Works Association (AWWA) velocity standards for estimated maximum daily domestic water usage plus fire flows. Under no circumstances shall water transmission main extensions be less than eight-inch diameter. Sanitary force main extensions shall be sized based upon maintaining a velocity and a maximum velocity for design flow conditions which conforms to regulatory agency specifications or requirements. Gravity sanitary sewer extensions shall be a minimum of eight-inch diameter. For purposes of this requirement, the above criteria shall only apply to through streets, or other cases where future additional development is possible.

(c)

Oversizing. Where the district requires oversizing for the purpose of serving future additional development, the applicant shall be so advised. All construction costs associated with oversizing shall be borne by the district. The cost of over-sizing may be credited against connection fees, and costs for oversizing in excess of connection fees may be paid to the applicant by the district upon completion of the project, or upon expenditure where so provided in an approved agreement between the applicant and the district. Costs of oversizing shall be based upon the incremental installed cost of the oversizing, based on actual bid quantities or costs of the contractor.

(d)

Extensions of water and sewer service to existing developments adjacent to district facilities.

(1)

Where service is requested by individual property owners, either residential or commercial, in areas adjacent to existing district facilities having adequate capacity, involving potential future customers in addition to those requesting service, department will determine the feasibility of constructing the necessary line extensions with payment for connection fees and cost of extension to be by lump sum, contractual installment payments, or special assessment, in accordance with applicable provisions of law.

(2)

The department may determine whether the work will be done by department staff, or contracted out, based on the best interest of the district.

(3)

Allocation of line extension costs shall be on a proportionate basis, in accordance with the anticipated flow associated with each benefitted property based on an equivalent residential unit, or front footage.

(4)

If the proportionate ERU cost for the extension exceeds the corresponding connection fee component, the corresponding connection fee component will be replaced by the amount of the proportionate ERU cost of the extension.

For example: If the proportionate cost per ERU for a waterline extension is five hundred dollars ($500.00), and the corresponding ERU component of the connection fee is two hundred and ten dollars ($210.00) (based on a five-hundred-twenty-five-dollar water connection fee), the connection fee shall be reduced to three hundred fifteen dollars ($315.00) (five hundred twenty-five dollars ($525.00) less two hundred and ten dollars ($210.00)) and the five-hundred-dollar line extension cost added to the connection fee, for a total connection fee of eight hundred fifteen dollars ($815.00). Hook-up fee and any applicable deposit shall be in addition to the connection fee.

(5)

If the proportionate ERU cost for the extension is less than or equal to the corresponding connection fee component, the existing connection fee will be assessed per ERU for each property connected to the extended facilities.

(6)

If the proportionate cost per ERU exceeds the corresponding connection fee component, and there are up to one hundred (100) potential connections to the extended facilities, the department may enter into water and sewer service contracts with individual customers for payment of the line extension cost over and above the connection fee, hook-up fee and applicable deposit.

a.

The customer will pay the hook-up fee and any applicable deposit prior to service connection, and at least twenty-five (25) percent of the remaining connection fee less the proportionate extension cost.

b.

The department may provide an installment payment plan to customers for the balance due, payable in equal monthly installments, with interest not to exceed the interest rate authorized by Florida Statutes, amortized over a period not to exceed two (2) years, or twenty-four (24) months.

c.

Contract installment payment plans shall be available only at the time of the line extension, with connection to the system made at the time of construction. All entities connecting after the original construction period shall pay full fees prior to connection, including the additional line extension cost.

(7)

If the proportionate cost per ERU exceeds the corresponding connection fee component, and the potential connections to the extension facilities exceed one hundred (100) connections, the line extension costs shall be paid by special assessment wherein all benefited property owners are charged one hundred (100) percent of the cost of such extensions. All special assessments shall be approved by the board at a properly advertised public hearing.

The board, as the governing board of the district, will utilize its discretion as to whether or not the work will be done by department staff, or contracted out, whichever method is best for the property owners.

a.

The time period for repayment shall be based upon the amount of the assessment in accordance with county policy.

b.

Connection fees, hook-up fees, and applicable deposits will be separate and in addition to the assessment. The appropriate components of the connection fee shall be replaced with the extension costs collected by assessment and the remaining components of the connection fee will be due prior to service connection, along with the hook-up fee and applicable deposit. The board may approve inclusion of the connection and hook-up fees with the assessment. Applicable deposits will be due upon connection.

c.

Any assessments may be paid at the office of the county tax collector within thirty (30) days after the confirmation thereof, without interest. Thereafter all assessments shall be payable in equal annual installments, with interest not to exceed the interest rate authorized by Florida Statutes, from the expiration of said thirty (30) days in each of the succeeding number of years for which the assessment will be payable as determined by resolution at the time or times in each year at which the general property taxes are payable; provided, however, that the district may by resolution fix a shorter period of payment for any assessment and/or adjust the interest rate not to exceed what is authorized by Florida Statutes; provided further that any assessment may be paid at any time before due, together with interest accrued thereon to the date of payment.

(8)

Connection fees associated with facility extensions will be required as stipulated in this division. Connection fee payment shall be made prior to connecting to the facilities, or, if requested by the applicant and approved by the district may be included in the contractual installment plan or the special assessment as outlined in subsections (d)(6) and (d)(7) above.

(9)

When the applicant can document that a special assessment levied on behalf of the water and sewer district was assessed against their property, the amount of the special assessment shall be deducted from the current connection fee. The balance of the connection fee shall be payable prior to connection to the system.

There were fourteen (14) special assessments on behalf of the water and sewer district, as follows: Weeki Wachee and Hernando Beach on February 27, 1978 and again on March 29, 1978; Pine Island and North Bayport on August 29, 1978; Cedar Lane Sites on February 1, 1979; Weeki Wachee, Hernando Beach, Pine Island and North Bayport (remaining lots) on October 4, 1979; Ridge Manor on May 21, 1980; Ridge Manor West on January 30, 1980; River Country on June 7, 1979; Berkeley Manor on October 18, 1979 (later rescinded); Fort Dade Mobile Home Park on June 9, 1981; Hernando Beach, Unit 13, on February 24, 1981; and Aripeka on May 27, 1982.

(10)

If the assessment paid was in accordance with subsection (d)(7) and was limited to the cost of facilities extension, then the assessment paid, up to, but not exceeding, the corresponding connection fee component, shall be deducted from the connection fee. The remaining portion of the corresponding component, if any, and the other components of the connection fee shall be payable prior to connection to the system.

(Ord. No. 2003-06, § 6, 3-25-03; Ord. No. 2005-20, § 5, 10-18-05)