Criteria and eligibility for the Sewer Rebate:
To be considered for a sewer surcharge rebate, a customer must submit an application to the City in the year to which the rebate would apply. The application to the City shall include all necessary information as detailed in the policy that demonstrate the criteria for approval of the rebate have been met.
Successful Application
An application is considered successful when the City has satisfied itself through review of information provided by the customer that all requirements as detailed in these guidelines and related policy have been met and that the City has notified the customer of approval of the rebate. An approved application is valid until a change in use or process occurs.
Criteria for Approval of a Rebate – A rebate shall only be considered if it meets the criteria of FIN-GRA-785.
Annual Verification of Diverted Water
No later than April 1st of each calendar year, customers, whose applications for a sewer surcharge rebate pursuant to the policy have been approved, shall be required to submit their Certified Engineering Report of the customer's diverted water for the previous calendar year.
Submission of Certified Engineering Report
A customer that has made application for a sewer surcharge rebate shall be required, at their sole expense, to submit to the City a certified engineering report sealed by an licensed professional engineer on an annual basis.
Content of Certified Engineering Report
The detailed engineering report shall contain at a minimum:
a) An analysis of water use processes to verify that the criteria for approval of the rebate have been met and the calculation of diverted water;
b) An evaluation of the ability to install a metering system that will provide reliable and accurate readings if necessary (installation and maintenance of any such metering system if required by the City shall be at the sole expense of the customer); and
c) The methodology used to calculate diverted water.
Rebate Portion of Sewer Charge
Where it has been determined under this policy that a customer has made a successful application or submitted a satisfactory annual verification of diverted water, the City shall rebate to the customer by cheque, that portion of the prior year’s sewer bill related to sewer surcharges paid on diverted water. Rebate calculations will be completed and cheques issued on an annual basis. The rebate calculation will be based annual sewer charges and water usage, not monthly.
Rebate Period
Upon notification of approval of the application by the City a customer shall be entitled to a sewer surcharge rebate for diverted water in the immediate prior calendar year only. Rebates shall not be retroactive to other previous years.
Site Inspection
The City shall conduct an inspection of the customer's premises to verify any and all information in relation to the application submitted by the customer.
No Rebate for Non-Compliance and Outstanding Arrears
Any customer who is non-compliant with any relevant City by-law and/or is in arrears with regard to any payments to the City shall not be entitled to a sewer surcharge rebate so long as such non-compliance and/or arrears remain outstanding. Any rebate approved under the policy shall be withheld by the City until such non-compliance of arrears has been addressed to the satisfaction of the City. Should the non-compliance or arrears continue into the subsequent calendar year any rebate as approved under this policy shall be forfeited by the customer.
