MEADOW LAKE COUNTY WATER & SEWER DISTRICT

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

 

 

 

 

Who Are We?

The Meadow Lake County Water & Sewer District was formed February 6, 1984 as a duly authorized non-profit corporation to provide water and sewer services to users pursuant to Section 7-13-2214, Montana Code Annotated.  Management of the District is the responsibility of the five members of Board of Directors, elected by members of the District every other November.  The current Directors are:

                                                Peter E. Tracy, President

Keith Armstrong, Director

Ed Lawrence, Director

Leonard Mitchell, Director

Ann Stephens, Director

 

The Board meets on an irregular schedule, but all members are encouraged to attend and participate in meetings.  Meeting notices are posted at www.meadowlakenews.com and at the pump house near the old water tower at approximately 900 St. Andrews Drive.  By signing up on the website, you will receive an email notification of meetings.

 

How do I get in touch with the District?

            Billing Questions:

                            Contact: Barb Riley

                                P. O. Box 2366

                                Columbia Falls, MT  59912

                                (406) 892-7729

 

            Emergencies:

                        The District’s facilities:

                                    Contact: Les Parks                               or            Rob Bosley

                                                (406) 892-2145 – Business Hours                      (406) 892-2145 – Business Hours

                                                (406) 250-2901 – Emergencies                            (406) 250-3174 -- Emergencies           

 

                        Your facility:

                                    Contact your plumber.

 

Our Water Sources:

Our water sources are two deep wells:  Well #1 is 743’ deep; Well #2 is 750’ deep.  We have over 170 service connections on our system.  Our drinking water is safe and meets federal and state requirements.  Tests are performed on a scheduled basis as required by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.  If you have questions concerning the water, contact Peter Tracy at (406) 892-2146.

 

The City of Columbia Falls, by Contract, Processes our Sewage

A sewer line, roughly 8,000 feet, extends from the southern boundary of Meadow Lake to the Columbia Falls processing plant.  The City calculates your monthly sewage charge based on their own formulas adding a premium of 25% because Meadow Lake is not in the city.  They meter our total sewage; they provide no repair or maintenance services to our District.

How Do I Get Water & Sewer Service?

            Application for Service

An “Application for Service” is attached and must be completed prior to beginning construction.  An “Application for Service” is also required on property transfers.

 

            Meter and Remote Reading Requirement

Effective July 2003 the District established the following meter and remote as its standard:

 

For Single Family Residential:

INVENSYS, Model SR II 5/8” x ¾”, including a remote reader pad.  The meter and remote reader, including connectors, is available from the District at a cost of $117.90.  Alternatively, the homeowner may purchase the specified unit from his/her plumbing contractor.  The homeowner shall arrange for installation at his/her cost.

 

For Multi-Family Residential and Commercial:

Prices vary according to size needed.  The specification is the appropriate INVENSYS, Model SR II with larger diameter(s) and remote reader.  The District’s purchasing program is available; the District’s cost will be passed through with no mark-up.

 

The remote reading device must be placed in a position easily accessible to our meter reading personnel.  Should you have any questions about the placement of the remote reading device, call Barb Riley at (406) 892-7729.

 

            Ownership of Meter/Meter Replacement

While the applicant purchases the original meter and remote reading device, the District thereafter owns it.  The District will make replacements, at no charge to the homeowner, after certain time periods or usages.

 

Responsibility for Repairs and Maintenance:

The customer will assume all responsibility beyond the point of delivery (service shut off) for water supplied by the District.  The District will be exempt from all liability for loss or damage caused by leakage or escape of water furnished by the District, after the same has passed the point of delivery.  All service pipes and fixtures on the premises of the customer must be kept in repair and protected from freezing by the customer.  Where there are leaking or defective pipes or fixtures, the water may be turned off at the option of the District until the proper repairs are made.

           

Hook-up Fees:

                New services must:

1.        Post a $1,000 bond to guarantee that damage to the Meadow Lake roads will be repaired and cleaned after construction and pay a $200 building fee.  The check should be made payable to Meadow Lake Master Homeowners Association; $1,000 will be returned after construction provided the site is adequately cleaned.

2.        Agree to notify their construction contractors to use the eastern entry of St. Andrews Drive.

3.        Purchase the District’s approved meter and remote reading devise.

4.        Provide their own construction, in accordance with specifications including the Uniform Building Code (UBC), Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), and requirements of the Montana State Water Quality Bureau, from the water shut off to the home.

5.        Provide their own construction, in accordance with specifications including the Uniform Building Code (UBC), Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), and requirements of the Montana State Water Quality Bureau, to the sewer.

6.        Pay a hook-up fee (which increases 8% per year.)  The single-family hook up fee as of June 30, 2003 was $3,360; the hook up fee as of June 30, 2004 will be $3,486.  Dates between are pro-rated.  Multiple unit projects pay a hook-up fee for each dwelling unit.

 

Note to purchasers of lots in the western Meadow Lake subdivision:  Connecting to the water and sewer system may be more difficult than expected.  The system was built in the mid-1970’s and does not have curb stops for the water hook-ups.  In addition, while the water and sewer services are in the street in front or back of all lots, the exact location may not be precisely known.  Construction costs for hooking into both the water and sewer may be more costly than hooking into other phases of the Meadow Lake subdivision.  Please consult with your engineer and/or builder.  Please be aware of the notes above that require the lot owner to pay for all costs of connecting to both the water and sewer services; the District will not pay for any portion of the construction costs associated therewith.

 

Monthly Water & Sewer Rates:  Water & Sewer rates are reviewed as necessary, no less frequently than bi-annually, and adjusted to meet the needs of the District.  Any increase or decreases in sewer rates imposed by the City of Columbia Falls will be passed along effective on the date those increases or decreases are received.

 

            Current (January 2004) Water:

Base Monthly Rate, $19.54 per VRU.  (Note: all single-family residences are one VRU because the size of their water service is 5/8”-3/4”.  The number of VRU’s each larger service establishment is assigned is proportional to the area of the service.  Therefore a 1.5” water service is assigned 4 VRU’s.  A 2” service is assigned 7.11 VRU’s.  A 3” service is assigned 16 VRU’s.)

Plus $1.21 per 1000 gallons used.  (Note:  This rate does not change based on usage.  If there were no usage, there would be no usage charge.  If a user used 100,000 gallons in a month, variable charge of $121.00 would be added to their base rate.)

 

Current Sewer:

Base Monthly Rate, $16.85

 

Plus Usage Charge equal to Columbia Falls’ Fee:

The Columbia Falls fee is $6.25 per thousand gallons registered on the water meter modified as follows:

o        From November 1 to April 30, the billing is the actual amount of water shown on the meter.

o        From May 1 through October 31, the city assumes excess water is used for irrigation.  As a consequence, they take the average usage from December to February and bill that amount (not actual usage) each month from May through October.

 

Payment Requirements/Shut Offs and Terminations

1.        The property owner is responsible for payments of amounts due.  Renters can be billed in accordance with an owner’s written request, but the owner guarantees the debt of any renter.

2.        Payment is due 20 days after billing; unpaid accounts are charged a late fee equal to 1.5% per month on the outstanding balance.  There is a $25 charge for NSF checks.

3.        If a payment is 20 days late (total, 40 days), a termination notice is sent.  First class mail is deemed to be received by the property owner.

4.        Water will be shut off 20 days later (total 60 days from original billing); a $100 reconnection fee will be charged in addition to requiring the account to be paid in full at the time of reconnection.

5.        Any costs, including reasonable attorney’s fees, incurred by the District in the collection of any debt from the property owner, shall be borne by the property owner.

 

Other Provisions and Agreements:

1.        Certain Discharges into the District’s Sewage System are Not Permitted:

                                                               i.      Any storm-water, surface water, groundwater, roof runoffs, subsurface drainage, uncontaminated cooling water or unpolluted industrial process waters.

                                                              ii.      Any gasoline, benzene, naptha, fuel oil, or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid or gas, or high concentrations of waster material such as septic or vault toilet residue.

                                                            iii.      Any waters or wastes containing toxic or poisonous solids, liquids, or gases in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction with other wastes, to injure or interfere with any sewage treatment process, constitutes a hazard to humans or animals, create a public nuisance, or create any hazard in receiving waters of the sewage treatment plant.

                                                            iv.      Any waters or wastes having a pH lower than 5.5 or having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to sewers, structures, equipment and personnel of the sewage works.

                                                             v.      Solid or viscous substances in quantities or of such a size capable of causing obstruction to the flow in sewers, or the other interference with the proper operation of the sewage works, such as but not limited to, ashes, cinders, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plastics, wood, underground garbage, whole blood, paunch manure, hair and fleshings, entrails and paper dishes, cups, milk containers, etc., either whole or ground by garbage grinders.

2.        Entry onto Property Owner’s Property:  The District’s General Manager and other duly authorized employees or representatives of the District shall be permitted to enter upon all properties at a reasonable hour for the purpose of inspection, observation, measurement, sampling, and testing in accordance with the provisions of this document.

3.        Liability to District.  Any person who shall violate any provision of this document shall be liable to the District for any expense, loss, damage, cost of inspection or cost of correction incurred by the District by reason of such violation, including any expense incurred by the District in collection from such person of such loss, damage, expense, cost of inspection or cost of correction.

               

Questions?

            Call either Barbara Riley (406) 892-7729 or Peter Tracy (406) 892-2801.

MEADOW LAKE COUNTY WATER & SEWER DISTRICT

APPLICATION FOR SERVICE

 

…       This is an application for a new service connection.  Please complete Sections A and B.

 

…       This is an application because of a property transfer.  Please complete Section B.

 

                                                                                                                                               

Meadow Lake Lot #              Street Address (Columbia Falls)                   Phone

 

Section A.  (To be completed by property owners requiring a new service connection.)  Please check all boxes and sign below.

 

…       I have read and agree to the policies and procedures set forth in the District’s statement.

 

…       I agree to the new service requirements and agree to pay a hook-up fee in approximate the amount of $_____________ by ________________, 200__.

 

…       I hereby submit a check for $1,200 representing a road damage/cleaning bond ($1,000) and building fee ($200).  I understand $1,000 will be returned promptly after construction if there has been no damage and the road is cleaned and returned to its condition prior to construction.

 

Section B.  (To be completed by new residents and new property owners.)  Please check all boxes and sign below.

 

…       I have read and agree to the policies and procedures set forth in the District’s statement.

 

…       I agree to the District’s “Payment Requirements/Shut Offs and Terminations” provisions.

 

 

Signatures of Property Owners:

 

 

                                                                                                           

Print Name:                                                                            Date

                                                                                                           

Print Name:                                                                            Date

 

Please return to Meadow Lake Water & Sewer District, P.O. Box 2366, Columbia Falls, and MT 59912