§ 1-13-595. One-time sewer charges.

(a)

Sewer service connection fees (tap fees). Sewer service connection fees (tap fees) shall be charged to cover the cost of providing a tap to the sewer lateral. Tap fees shall be in the amounts as established by the board of commissioners:

(1)

An owner may have tap installed by a North Carolina licensed utility contractor, provided he:

a.

Requests approval at the time of making application for connection to the public sanitary sewer.

b.

Gives five (5) days notice to the county of the date the tap is to be made.

c.

Constructs the tap with materials specified by the county and installed by a North Carolina licensed utility contractor.

d.

Arranges for the presence of a county representative when the tap is made.

e.

Pays the tap fee according to the fee schedule, with the understanding that the county will refund the tap fee, less an administration/inspection fee, upon the owner's completion of the tap in an improved manner.

(2)

During construction of the public sanitary sewer, the owner of an undeveloped residential or non-residential property may obtain a tap at the same rate as developed residential and non-residential property provided the following conditions are met:

a.

The property must be adjacent and contiguous to or must front upon a proposed county sewer line.

b.

The property owner must request in writing that a tap be placed on the undeveloped property.

(3)

If a developer, as owner, installs the tap to the public sanitary sewer for the development, the developer or subsequent owner of each property in the development will only incur applicable fees.

(4)

Rental property or property on the market for sale may be connected to the public sanitary sewer at the cleanout only by a licensed plumber.

(b)

Capital recovery fee. All new development and non-residential development obtaining a certificate of occupancy shall pay this fee specified in section 1-13-598, based on average daily flow. Swimming pools will be exempt from the treatment plant capacity fee. Average daily flow for the purposes of these fees shall be determined as follows:

(1)

Residential unit. For a residential unit, see section 1-13-598.

(2)

Non-residential unit. For a non-residential unit, flow criteria as recommended by the North Carolina Division of Water Quality, or equivalent, for sewer system requirements. If a flow is not specified by the NC Division of Water Quality, or equivalent, for a particular usage, the flow shall be based on water usage of similar facilities as determined by the county.

(3)

Non-residential unit (industrial wastewater). Industries that generate industrial wastewater, have a national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permit, and maintain a wastewater treatment facility with capacity sufficient to cover the average daily wastewater flow may be exempted from this fee by the board of commissioners based on these and other criteria. This section does not exempt any non-process domestic wastewater. When the county's wastewater system becomes available to a non-residential unit having industrial wastewater, this fee shall be paid prior to connection.

(Amend. of 4-1-13, art. II, § 5.5)