Prescott Wastewater Updates

A review and updating of the sewer user rate charges that affect residential and industrial addresses in the City of Prescott will be a topic of the next Prescott City Council meeting. In preliminary findings by Cedar Corp, recommendations were made based on the current usage and fee structures. There are characteristics within wastewater that will determine how individual categories of users would be charged.
In addition to residential waste, industry specific components are also added to the waste stream with equipment and treatment needs differing on those levels. Normal domestic strength wastewater differs greatly from complex restaurant wastewater, which also may include fats, oils and grease that require specialized treatment needs. Each of those users are required to maintain and track grease traps to be in compliance with city sewer usage.
Charges for significant industrial users, those which discharges more than 25,000 gallons per day, may also utilize a greater amount of hydraulic capacity . As of April of 2018, the fixed user charge was set at $60.26 per quarter for all users. A flexible charge rate is also charged at the rate of 4.06 per 1,000 gallons used. Those charges are being reevaluated to determine how to fairly assess fees to increase revenue for the Sewer Department by increasing user rates for those who benefit the most from the system, rather than razing base fixed or variable charges for all.
A concern is that there are no current surcharges assessed to any of the high-strength waste contributors that require a larger portion of treatment to meet standards. A modification is expected, with the survey noting that a rate increase could be tied to the fixed charge component to allow for water-efficient fixtures that may reduce the sewer input, but still provide revenue necessary to maintain the infrastructure.

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