S-1998               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6013

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senators Bluechel, Talmadge, Fleming, Conner and McDonald

Read first time 2/22/89 and referred to Committee on  Governmental Operations.

AN ACT Relating to water and sewer connection or capacity charges; and adding a new section to chapter 35.58 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 35.58 RCW to read as follows:

          A metropolitan municipal corporation established under this chapter that is engaged in the transmission, treatment, and disposal of sewage may impose a capacity charge on users of such facilities when the user connects, reconnects, or establishes a new service.  The capacity charge authorized by this section shall be imposed by the council of the metropolitan municipal corporation.  The charge shall be based upon the cost of such facilities' excess capacity for sewerage treatment that is necessary to provide sewerage treatment for the new users to the system.  The charge shall not exceed one thousand two hundred thirty-one dollars per residential customer or residential customer equivalent until the year 2030, or twelve dollars and eight cents per month for a period not to exceed fifteen years from the date of hook-up.  The user may elect either to pay the capacity charge when a certificate of occupancy is granted by the appropriate building department or pay the capacity charge monthly.  The charges in this section shall remain constant until the year 2030.  The terms "residential customer" and "residential customer equivalent" shall have the same meanings as are used by the metropolitan municipal corporation in determining rates and charges at the time such capacity charge is imposed.  The capacity charge for a building other than a single-family residence shall be based on the projected number of residential customer equivalents to be represented by the building, considering its intended use.  The council of the metropolitan municipal corporation shall enforce the collection of such capacity charge in the same manner as shall now or hereafter be provided for the collection, enforcement, and payment of rates and charges for sewer districts as provided in RCW 56.16.100 and 56.16.110.