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WATER DEPARTMENT RATES - Chikaming
Township Property Owners Effective February 1, 2008 - Ordinance No. 128
GALLONAGE RATES - Apply
to BOTH Chikaming Township and customers outside Chikaming Township: from 4,000
gallons to 26,000 gallons per month - $3.20 per 1,000 gallons and over 30,000
gallons per month - $9.60 per 1,000 gallons.
WATER DEPARTMENT RATES - Outside
Chikaming Township
SERVICE CONNECTION
(Effective November 1, 1993) ¾ inch or 1 inch meter - $3,550.00 plus meter
deposit. Meter sizes 1 ½ inches or larger - based on time and material costs
plus negotiated rate for system capital investment.
METER DEPOSITS
Chikaming Township:
Single Family $50.00 & All Others $125.00.
OUTSIDE Chikaming:
Township: Single Family $125.00 & All Others $375.00
TURN ON/OFF FEES
Courtesy TURN OFF fee $10.00
Courtesy TURN ON fee $10.00
DELINQUENT Turn OFF and ON fee $50.00 (total)
METER REMOVAL FEES
1 inch or less - $190.00
1 ½ inch - $210.00
2 inch - $230.00
3 inch - $260.00
4 inch - $295.00
SEWER RATES
Connection Fees
Pay up front
Assessment Due $2500.00*
Permit Fee $25.00
Total $2525.00
Property owner makes arrangements
with approved contractor as per the GRSD Sewer Authority.
* If the property owner is a
participant in a Special Assessment District the Assessment Due is reduced to
$1500.00 making the total $1525.00.
SEWER MONTHLY USAGE RATE
$12.25 per month for 1 unit
They meet the third Thursday
of the month at 7:00 p.m. in the meeting room at Chikaming Township Center, 13535 Red Arrow Highway
in Harbert, Michigan.
They meet the fourth
Wednesday of the month at 1:00 p.m. in the meeting room at Chikaming Township Center at
13535 Red Arrow Highway, Harbert, Michigan.
Protect against winter water woes
One of things that the Water
Department really does not like to do is call one of our customers and tell them
that they have a leak and that their water bill is going to be several hundred
dollars. Unfortunately, this happens every winter. If you are not going to be here
during the cold winter months, you need to heat your home and have someone check
it on a regular basis or have the water turned off and winterize the plumbing.
Winter brings freezing storms that cause power outages which can result in pipes
freezing and bursting. If the weather is so bad that our meter readers can't get
out and we estimate your bill for those two months, we will not detect that leak
until two months after that! This could result in major damage to your home and
a very costly water bill. Just because your water is "turned off" doesn't' mean
that you don't get a minimum billing.
"On-line" bill paying -
MAKE SURE THEY ARE SENDING IT TO P.O. BOX 40 IN HARBERT
Some of our water and sewer
customers have started to use the computer to pay their utility bills. This can
be a great way of doing your bookkeeping, but it can also become a nightmare.
When entering the payee address, make sure that you use P.O. Box 40, Harbert,
MI 49115. If sent to our street address, most times it is returned to the bank
after bouncing around the Postal System and by then…you're delinquent. Please
save all involved a lot of time and heartache and verify that you are sending
your payment to the right address. Thank you.
Don't tamper with the meter pits
The water meters and meter pits
are the property of Chikaming Township. Section 5 of Ordinance No. 71 states,
"..it shall be unlawful for any unauthorized person to tamper with, disturb,
adjust, turn off, turn on, remove, disassemble, destroy or damage any water shut
off valve, water meter or any other appurtenance of said water system. Any person
found in violation of the section of this ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a
misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $100 and/or imprisonment in the county jail
for 90 days, or both."
The most common offense is someone
other than an authorized Township employee turning the water on and off at the
meter pit. This can lead to problems later on, and if the meter breaks, the property
owner could be charged not only the $100 fine, but for the cost of the meter. It
is illegal for your plumber to turn the water on and off at the meter pit and the
property owner will be held liable. Another problem that has arisen recently is
contractors running over meter pits and causing damage. Since the contractor is
hired by the property owner, the property owner is liable for the damage.
To have your water turned on or
off by the Township there is a $10.00 fee. Our meter readers will make note of
all improper turning on or off of the water at the meter pits.
Don't put storm water in the sewers
As noted in Ordinance No. 34
ONLY toilets, sinks, indoor showers, clothes washers, dish washers and garbage
disposals may be plumbed into the sanitary sewer. Sump pumps, eave down spouts,
footing and floor drains MUST NOT be connected to the sewer system. The Ordinance
further stipulates that penalties may be assessed for these "illegal" connections
together with the requirement to reroute plumbing to dispose of rain and seepage
water elsewhere.
Why am I getting a water and sewer
bill when I haven't been there all winter?
The minimum monthly rates are
the system's Ready to Serve Charge and you are billed every two months whether
you use the utilities or not. Chikaming Township's water and sewer systems must
be maintained daily so that it is ready to serve you when you need it. Please
don't compare your charge here to your charge in the city. It's like comparing
apples to watermelons. The water and sewer systems cost "X" to run and maintain.
This cost is divided up amongst the number of units served by the systems. In
the city you have many more units so the cost is less. It's the economy of numbers.
Important Information About Your
Drinking Water
This notice is being sent per Michigan Department of Environmental Quality requirements rule
325.10403(2)(a).
We routinely monitor for drinking water contaminants. We collected seven samples to test for the presence of
coliform bacteria on November 12, 2007 and November 14, 2007. Three of those samples showed the presence of
coliform bacteria. The DEQ standard is violated when more than one sample per month is positive for
coliform bacteria. This incident was not an emergency. If it had been, you would have been notified
immediately.
What does this mean?
Coliform bacteria are generally not harmful themselves. Coliforms are bacteria which are naturally present in the environment and are used as an indicator that
other, potentially harmful, bacteria may be present. Coliforms were found in more samples than were
allowed by DEQ standards and this may have been a warning of potential problems.
Coliforms are a sign that there could be a problem with the system’s treatment or distribution system
(pipes). Whenever coliform bacteria is detected, follow up testing is completed to determine if other
bacteria of greater concern, such as fecal coliform or E. coli, are present.
What did we do?
After notification of the second positive sample, the system was flushed and chlorine residuals were
checked to be sure residuals were adequate. Additional sampling on November 15, 2007 showed no
presence of coliform bacteria. Further testing shows that the problem has been resolved. The sample may have been contaminated by the environment near the sampling station or possibly the container. We will continue to monitor the distribution system to ensure your water is
safe.
What should you do?
You do not need to boil your water or take other corrective actions. However, if you have specific health
concerns, consult your doctor. People with severely compromised immune systems, infants, and some
elderly may at increased risk. This group of people should seek advice about drinking water from their
healthcare providers. General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available
from EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not
have received this notice directly. This notice is also posted on the township web site:
www.chikamingtownship.org.
This notice is being sent to you by the Chikaming Township Water Department. If you would like more
information or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Julie Schroeder, Utility Coordinator at
the Chikaming Township Office – (269) 469-1676.
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