Bylaw No. 1002, 2021 Utility Billing Bylaw

TOWN OF PRINCETON

BYLAW 1002, 2021

UTILITY BILLING BYLAW

A bylaw to authorize fees for use of the Town’s water and sewer system and regulations governing the billing of said services

WHEREAS the Community Charter Section 194 (1) allows council to, by bylaw, impose a fee payable in respect of all or part of a service of the municipality, the use of municipal property or the exercise of authority to regulate, prohibit or impose requirements NOW THEREFORE, the Council of the Town of Princeton , in open meeting assembled, enacts as follows:

1. Interpretations

In this bylaw: - Commercial means any use of a building other than Residential; - Commercial/Industrial Facility or use means a facility or land use within any of the following zones of the Town’s Zoning Bylaw: C1 - local business; C2 – central business; C3 – commercial transition; CT – tourist commercial; CS – service commercial; CD1 – comprehensive development zone; BPI – business park; BP2 – business park; I1 – Light Industrial; I2 – Heavy Industrial; - Customer means the owner or occupier of property that is supplied water by the Town; - Fees and Charges Bylaw means the Town of Princeton Fees and Charges Bylaw 979, 2020 or any subsequent bylaw updating said rates and regulations from time to time; - Sewer Service means the portion of sewer pipe, including sewer stops, between the Town’s sewer main and a customer’s property line; - Water System means the entire water supply and distribution system of the Town; - Town means Town of Princeton; - Water meter means an apparatus for measuring the quantity of water used, and includes all accessory equipment, instruments and materials of every kind required for its installation and operation; - Water Service means the portion of water pipe, including water stops, between the Town’s water main and a customer’s property line; - Water System means the entire water supply and distribution system of the Town;

Utility Billing Bylaw No. 1002, 2021 - Page 2

2. Every owner of a property that is supplied water by the Town must ensure that all applicable

fees and rates, as established in Schedule “C” of the Fees and Charges Bylaw, are paid in full to the Town, whether or not the property is occupied or vacant or whether water is actually used or not, unless and until the Water Service is discontinued by notice in accordance with the Town of Princeton Water Regulations Bylaw No. 987, 2020.

3. Every owner of a property that is supplied sewer by the Town must ensure that all applicable

fees and rates, as established in Schedule “B” of the Fees and Charges Bylaw, are paid in full to the Town, whether or not the property is occupied or vacant or whether sewer is actually used or not, unless and until the Sewer Service is discontinued by notice in accordance with the Sewer Connections and Regulations Bylaw No. 992, 2020.

4. Schedules “A” through “C” are attached hereto and form part of this Bylaw.

5. Regulations for Residential properties are in Schedule “A” of this Bylaw.

6. Regulations for Commercial properties in compliance with Section 6.3 of the Town of

Princeton Water Regulations Bylaw No. 987, 2020 are in Schedule “B” of this Bylaw.

7. Regulations for Commercial properties not in compliance with Section 6.3 of the Town of

Princeton Water Regulations Bylaw No. 987, 2020 are in Schedule “C” of this Bylaw.

8. A customer of a property located outside the boundaries of the Town that is supplied water or

sewer by the Town must pay an annual administration fee in the amount of 15%, in addition to the rate established in Schedule C of the Fees and Charges Bylaw.

9. Sections 11.1 through 11.4 of the Town of Princeton Water Regulations Bylaw No. 987, 2020

are hereby repealed.

10. This bylaw be cited for all purposes as the “Town of Princeton Utility Billing Bylaw No. 1002,

2021” READ A FIRST TIME THIS 15th day of MARCH, 2021 READ A SECOND TIME THIS 15th day of MARCH, 2021 READ A THIRD TIME THIS 15th day of MARCH, 2021 ADOPTED THIS THIS 6th day of APRIL, 2021

Mayor Spencer Coyne CAO Lyle Thomas Original signed by Mayor Coyne Original signed by CAO Thomas

Utility Billing Bylaw No. 1002, 2021 - Page 3 Schedule “A” Policies and Procedures Residential Water and Sewer Rates

1. All properties receiving residential water and sewer services are subject to an annual

rate as set out by Schedule “B” (sewer services) and/or Schedule “C” (water services) of the Fees and Charges Bylaw. All annual rates are also subject to the infrastructure levy as set out by the Town of Princeton Infrastructure Levy Bylaw No. 958, 2019.

2. Rates are due and payable in advance of being provided with the Water Service, but for

convenience, the Town may bill annually and in that case the amounts payable are due on the date stated on the utility bill. If a customer who has not received a utility bill for any reason must contact the financial officer or designate of the Town to receive a copy of the bill and in any case is responsible to pay the water rates that apply to the customer’s property. Non-receipt of the utility bill does not exempt a customer from paying for water supplied through a Water Service.

3. The Town of Princeton will offer customers a 10% discount. After the issuance of the

bill, the customer will have 45 days to pay the full amount of the invoice. If the funds remitted is less than the full invoice of the bill by the close of business on the 45th day, the full discount will be lost. In the event the 45th day does not fall on a day that Town Hall is open, the payment discount day will extend until the next business day.

4. Annualized rates for customers who install water and/or sewer service in the middle of a

fiscal year will be charged on a pro-rated basis for the year with a cumulative minimum charge for water services, sewer services and the infrastructure levy as set out in the Fees and Charges Bylaw.

5. All utility billing amounts are due by December 31 of the year billed. All outstanding

amounts will be transferred to taxes in arrear in accordance with Section 258 of the Community Charter.

Utility Billing Bylaw No. 1002, 2021 - Page 4 Schedule “B” Policies and Procedures Commercial Metered Water and Sewer Rates

1. All properties receiving commercial water services are subject to a metered rate as set

out by Schedule “C” (water services) of the Fees and Charges Bylaw. All metered rates are also subject to both an annualized infrastructure levy as set out by the Town of Princeton Infrastructure Levy Bylaw No. 958, 2019 and an annualized administrative fee as set out in Schedule “C” of the Fees and Charges Bylaw.

2. All properties receiving commercial sewer services are subject to an annual rate as set

by Schedule “B” (sewer services). All annual rates for sewer services are also subject to the infrastructure levy as defined by the Town of Princeton Infrastructure Levy Bylaw No. 958, 2019.

3. Starting January 1, 2022, all properties receiving commercial sewer services are subject

to a metered rate as set by Schedule “B” (sewer services) of the Fees and Charges Bylaw. All metered rates are also subject to both an annualized infrastructure levy as defined by the Town of Princeton Infrastructure Levy Bylaw No. 958, 2019.

4. Rates are due and payable in advance of being provided with the Water Service, but for

convenience, the Town may bill quarterly and in that case the amounts payable are due on the date stated on the utility bill. If a customer who has not received a utility bill for any reason must contact the financial officer or designate of the Town to receive a copy of the bill and in any case is responsible to pay the water rates that apply to the customer’s property. Non-receipt of the utility bill does not exempt a customer from paying for water supplied through a Water Service.

5. The Public Works Department of the Town of Princeton will take measures of usage of

the water system from water meters in January, April, July, and October.

6. Customers will be generated bills for their usage quarterly in May (for the usage

measured January to April), August (for the usage measured April to July), November (for the usage measured July to October) and February of the subsequent year (for the usage measured October to January). Annualized charges will be billed on the May invoice in 2021 and in February for 2022 and beyond.

7. The Town of Princeton will offer customers a 10% discount. After the issuance of the

bill, the customer will have 30 days to pay the full amount of the invoice. If the funds remitted is less than the full invoice of the bill by the close of business on the 30th day, the full discount will be lost. In the event the 30th day does not fall on a day that Town Hall is open, the payment discount day will extend until the next business day.

Utility Billing Bylaw No. 1002, 2021 - Page 5

8. Annualized rates for customers who install water and/or sewer service in the middle of a

billing period will be charged on the next billing cycle. The customer is responsible for providing a verified initial reading of the water meter before its installation. For customers who fail to provide a verified reading, an estimate may be made by the Public Works department and that reading will be taken in lieu of the initial reading. Annualized rates for the infrastructure levy will be pro-rated for the year and the administrative fee will be prorated by the number of quarters remaining to be billed in the year. Annualized charges will be billed in full at the earliest regular quarterly bill for the customer.

9. All utility billing amounts are due by December 31 of the year billed. All outstanding

amounts will be transferred to taxes in arrear in accordance with Section 258 of the Community Charter.

Utility Billing Bylaw No. 1002, 2021 - Page 6 Schedule “C” Policies and Procedures Commercial Annualized Water and Sewer Rates

1. All properties receiving commercial water and sewer services that are not in compliance

with Section 6.3 of the Town of Princeton Water Regulations Bylaw No. 987, 2020 are subject to an annual rate as set out by Schedule “B” (sewer services) and/or Schedule “C” (water services) of the Fees and Charges Bylaw. All annual rates are also subject to the infrastructure levy as set out by the Town of Princeton Infrastructure Levy Bylaw No. 958, 2019.

2. Rates are due and payable in advance of being provided with the Water Service, but for

convenience, the Town may bill annually and in that case the amounts payable are due on the date stated on the utility bill. If a customer who has not received a utility bill for any reason must contact the financial officer or designate of the Town to receive a copy of the bill and in any case is responsible to pay the water rates that apply to the customer’s property. Non-receipt of the utility bill does not exempt a customer from paying for water supplied through a Water Service.

3. The Town of Princeton will offer customers a 10% discount. After the issuance of the

bill, the customer will have 45 days to pay the full amount of the invoice to claim the discount. If the funds remitted is less than the full invoice of the bill by the close of business on the 45th day, the full discount will be lost. In the event the 45th day does not fall on a day that Town Hall is open, the payment deadline will extend until the next business day.

4. Annualized rates for customers who install water and/or sewer service in the middle of a

fiscal year will be charged on a pro-rated basis for the year with a cumulative minimum charge for water services, sewer services and the infrastructure levy as set out in the Fees and Charges Bylaw.

5. All utility billing amounts are due by December 31 of the year billed. All outstanding

amounts will be transferred to taxes in arrear in accordance with Section 258 of the Community Charter.

6. The billing procedures of this Schedule in no way affect the requirement for commercial

customers to install a water meter and customers not in compliance with Section 6.3 of the Town of Princeton Water Regulations Bylaw No. 987, 2020 have committed an offence of the Town of Princeton Water Regulations Bylaw No. 987, 2020 and are subject to penalty under Sections 14.1 through 14.4 and Schedule “E” of the Town of Princeton Water Regulations Bylaw No. 987, 2020.

7. This Schedule will remain in effect for all commercial water customers for the fiscal year

ending December 31, 2021. Customers will not be able to switch from an annualized rate to a metered rate during the fiscal year. This schedule in its entirety will be rescinded on December 31, 2021.