ORDINANCE 7.6
Sponsor: DPW – Water Resources

First reading: 06/16/25
Referred to: TEUC
Second reading: 07/14/25
Action: adopted
Date: 07/14/25
Published: 07/23/25
Effective: 08/12/25

It is hereby Ordained by the City Council of the City of Burlington as follows:

That Chapter 26, Wastewater, Stormwater, & Pollution Control, of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Burlington be and hereby is amended by amending Sec. 53 (Wastewater rates and fees; charges) thereof to read as follows:

(a) Monthly wastewater rates and fees shall be in accordance with a schedule prescribed by the water resources division of the department of public works and approved by the city council in the city’s budget or otherwise, and charges shall be categorized as follows:

(a1) Fixed charge. Based on the size of the meter or meters.

a. A fixed meter charge may be temporarily waived in accordance with policies prescribed by

the water division of the department of public works and as approved by city council as part of the water resources assistance program.

(b2) Volumetric charge. Based on the customer classification and the volumetric usage of wastewater upon the premises as measured by the city water meter or as estimated where appropriate by the water division of the department of public works.

And that Chapter 26, Wastewater, Stormwater, & Pollution Control, of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Burlington be and hereby is amended by amending Sec. 56 (Abatements; credits; refunds), thereof to read as follows:

(a) Abatements, credits, and refunds of wastewater rates, fees and charges shall be in accordance with policies prescribed by the water division of the department of public works and approved by the city council. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this article, abatements, credits, and refunds of wastewater water rates and fees, including, without limitation, temporary waivers of fixed charges or rate reductions or waivers based upon income, shall be in accordance with policies prescribed by the water resources division of the department of public works and approved by the city council.

(b) Any premises to which city water is supplied for manufacturing, commercial, or irrigation purposes, in such a manner that a substantial portion of the same is not returned to the city sewer system, shall be entitled, upon application therefore, to such abatement in the wastewater charge, as the director shall determine to be equitable under the circumstances. Any person dissatisfied with such determination by the director may apply first to the public works commission for an adjustment thereof, and thereafter to the city council whose decision shall be final.

And that Chapter 26, Wastewater, Stormwater, & Pollution Control, of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Burlington be and hereby is amended by amending Sec. 171 (Establishment of stormwater user fees), thereof to read as follows:

(a) A user fee based on an impervious surface unit (ISU) shall be imposed on every owner of non- exempt developed property within the city. An ISU shall equal one thousand (1,000) square feet.

(b) The city council shall have the authority to set and modify the user fee rates so that the total revenue generated by said charges, and any secondary sources of revenue, shall be sufficient to fund the city’s stormwater program.

(c) The city council shall establish, in the city’s budget or otherwise, by resolution the monthly rate for each ISU. The monthly user fee for a specific property is determined by multiplying the ISU rate times the number of ISUs on the property.

(d) The only exempt properties under this division are those included within the limits of a railroad track right-of-way (property on which railroad stations, maintenance buildings, or other developed land used for railroad purposes is located shall not be exempt) and those included within the limits of a public road right-of-way.

(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this division, abatements, credits, and refunds of stormwater user fee and charges, including, without limitation, rate reductions or waivers based upon income, shall be in accordance with policies prescribed by the water division of the department of public works and approved by the city council.

And that Chapter 31, Water, of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Burlington be and hereby is amended by amending Sec. 61 (Rates and fees; charges), thereof to read as follows:

(a) Monthly water rates and fees shall be in accordance with a schedule prescribed by the water division of the department of public works and approved by the city council in the city’s budget or otherwise, and charges shall be categorized as follows:

(1) Fixed charge. Based on the size of the meter or meters.

a. A fixed meter charge may be temporarily waived in accordance with policies prescribed by the water division of the department of public works and as approved by city council as part of the water resources assistance program.

(2) Volumetric charge. Based on the customer classification and the volumetric usage of wastewater upon the premises as measured by the city water meter or as estimated where appropriate by the water division of the department of public works.

(3) Private fire protection charge. Based on the presence of private fire protection infrastructure, meaning a fire hydrant outside the right-of-way and a service line that feeds a fire protection system.

(4) Other fees and charges related to billing, and administrative and field services,

including, without limitation, rates, fees and charges set by the State of Vermont.

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this article, abatements, credits, and refunds of water rates and fees, including, without limitation, temporary waivers of fixed charges or rate reductions or waivers based upon income, shall be in accordance with policies prescribed by the water division of the department of public works and approved by the city council.

* Material stricken out deleted.

** Material underlined added.

ER/Ordinances 2025/Water Resources Rates

June 2025