The City bills for water, sanitary sewer, stormwater, and streetlight services. Because these are not supported by property taxes, fees are charged to fund the cost of providing these services. Utility services are billed quarterly.
Water Charges
Water charges are based on the actual usage each quarter.
Water revenues are used to fund water production, water treatment, and storage facilities, and to maintain the City’s infrastructure.
Included on the quarterly utility bill is a state-mandated surcharge. The surcharge is $9.72 per year for every service connection to the public water supply that is operated by a city. Cities are required to collect this fee and submit it to the State of Minnesota.
Sanitary Sewer Charges
The sanitary sewer bill for residential customers is based on the lowest water usage of the previous four quarters. Commercial customers are billed based on the actual water usage.
Sanitary sewer revenues are used to maintain local infrastructure and lift stations, and to fund wastewater treatment through the Metropolitan Council Environmental Services facilities.
Stormwater Charges
Stormwater fees are charged in accordance with City Ordinance No. 632 to fund the cost of operation, repair, and improvement (and all other purposes as permitted by Minnesota Statutes Section 444.075) of the stormwater system. In general, stormwater fees are calculated by multiplying the established Runoff Equivalent Factor (REF) for a parcel’s land use by the parcel’s acreage and then multiplying the resulting product by the stormwater utility rate. A single family home has an REF of 1.0, while commercial properties have an REF of 3.0. Refer to City Ordinance No. 632 for more detailed information on the calculation of stormwater charges.
Street Light Charges
A flat quarterly rate is charged to all utility accounts for street lights. The fees collected fund payment of the electricity charges, along with maintenance and replacement of street lights.
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