Billing Frequently Asked Questions

The Sewer District provides uniform billing to customers similar to most other utilities and service providers such as cell phone service providers, electric and natural gas utilities, cable service providers, and others. Although a project may not be occurring in your vicinity the sanitary sewer system provides services across large areas, and it is very possible that you may be benefiting from the improvement even though it isn’t close to you. For example, the wastewater flow from the Village of Belle Center & Huntsville as well as much of the northeastern section of the lake flow through the sewers in the Village of Russells Point on its

way to the Indian Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant. Even if this isn’t the case, by applying sanitary sewer costs equitably across all sewer users the necessary increases per customer can be significantly reduced.

The Sewer District bills the minimum monthly base rate on the availability of the sewer, not use. The Sewer Rate is used to fund capital projects, equipment, and improvements as well as operation and maintenance of the sanitary sewer system and wastewater treatment plant. Costs of operation are not linear with flow. If the total flow to the wastewater plant was reduced by 25% it would not mean that costs of operation would decrease by the same amount. In fact, reduced flow in the sanitary sewer system can result in increased maintenance costs from too low of a flow rate. The rates are intended to ensure that there is adequate funding, so the sanitary sewer and wastewater plant are available for you to use when you need it.

The sewer rates are designed to be as equitable as possible to all customers. RV Parks pay the

equivalent share of a residential property per RV site and are charged year-round and regardless of occupancy. In this way they are paying for an equitable share of the conveyance and treatment costs and for the capacity in the sewer system that they use when in operation.

In a similar response provide earlier, the Sewer Rate is used to for capital projects, equipment, and improvements as well as operation and maintenance of the sanitary sewer system and wastewater treatment plant. Costs of operation do not have a direct correlation with flow. 

The rates are intended to make sure that the sanitary sewer and wastewater plant are available for you to use when you need it. RV Sites are billed at 0.4 EDUs or 40% of what residential customers are billed. Based on typical design criteria of sanitary sewer systems this is an equitable distribution of the costs to provide the conveyance and treatment infrastructure to support RV Parks.

The Sewer District bills minimum monthly base rates on the availability of the sewer, not use. The Sewer Rate is used to for capital projects, equipment, and improvements as well as operation and maintenance of the sanitary sewer system and wastewater treatment plant. 

Licensed RV parks are required to have an approved flow meter to be eligible for RV Site Charge. In addition, Licensed RV Parks are just that, licensed. They are regulated by the State of Ohio and the Logan County Health District regarding their operation. Unlicensed RV Parks and/or RV Sites are not subject to this oversight. As such, unlicensed RV Sites are billed at the same rate as residential customers.

We don’t like to see sewer rates increase either, but it is necessary. The Sewer District is 100% funded through the rates and fees it collects from its customers. As our costs increase due to increased regulatory pressure, inflation, and necessary improvements those costs must be passed on through the rates.

The City of Oakwood, Ohio conducts a water and sewer survey each year of numerous communities. While rates can fluctuate year to year based on major capital improvements,  our rates continue to be lower than most surveyed. The average quarterly rate paid by residential customers in the 2021 survey is $158.52 versus our proposed quarterly equivalent of $151.50 at the new residential rates. That survey can be found here: https://oakwoodohio.gov/water-

rate-surveys/

An important factor with sewer rates is the number of users on the system. Generally, the more customers we have the lower the rates need to be to generate the necessary revenue. Cities and large communities typically have the benefit of significantly more customers per sewer mile than county sewer districts due to population density. Even so, we believe our rates remain competitive.

The credit card/debit card processors charge a fee for each transaction. Most private retailers include this charge in their pricing of their products and/or services so you simply do not see it. Most government agencies and institutions do not do this so you will see that charge added separately on your receipt. This charge is paid directly to the credit card processor and the Sewer District does not receive any portion of it.