A deposit is required by all customers for each new service address. The deposit amount is $106.00 for customers with a favorable credit reference from a utility company, the amount will be $250.00 for anyone who is unable to produce such a reference. Deposits will be held until the service is terminated, at which time it will be applied to the account if a balance is owed, if no balance is due, the deposit will be refunded back to the customer. Interest will not be paid on the deposit. Any unpaid balance not covered by the deposit will become a lien upon the property and may be charged to the property taxes. Water will not be turned on at the property until the balance is paid in full. New accounts and seasonal water users will be charged a $35.00 start-up fee which will appear on the first bill after the service is activated.
Businesses and part-time or full-time residents within city limits who want water, sewer or trash service are required to take all three services. Water is $51.00 for the first two thousand gallons and $1.80 per thousand thereafter. If no water is used, the charge will be $15.00. Water is charged at a per month, minimum rate, not subject to proration. Residential sewer and trash services are $16.00 and $30.25 respectively. The fee for basic business trash service is $34.25. Trash is picked up two to three times per week depending on the season.
Sewer charges for vacant houses will be waived if the property owner wants the water to remain on for the purpose of lawn care, however, the Town must be notified before the house is re-occupied. If a house has been reported as vacant, but then found to be occupied, the entire amount of previously waived sewer fees may be charged back to the property owner and the property will not qualify for future fee reductions.
The out of Town water rate is $64.00 for the first two thousand gallons and $1.80 per thousand thereafter. Out of Town water customers can obtain trash service at the rate of $35.25 per month. The charge for out of Town trash service without water service within one mile is $42.75. Out of Town trash is picked up once a week.
The following items should not be put into the trash dumpsters: tires and tubes, appliances, electronics, batteries, oil and oil filters, animal carcasses and hazardous or flammable material, including live ash. Latex or oil base paint, pesticides and materials containing asbestos are also prohibited. No trash, including lawn clippings and branches, is to be left beside the dumpsters. If trash is too bulky to fit into the dumpster, it should be taken to the Springfield Municipal Landfill, or other landfill of your choice.
Where multiple users exist on a single service line with a shared meter, each user will be allowed 2,000 gallons. In those months when water consumption exceeds the minimum monthly allowance times the number on users on the service line, the excess gallons will be divided equally between the users and added to the minimum monthly water charge billed to each user. A meter may be shared with a guest for up to 30 days, however, anything beyond 30 days will require the monthly minimum charges for water, sewer and trash. No new dwelling units will be allowed to share a service line and meter with another. Each new dwelling unit must have its own tap and meter.
All properties which have not previously had water service, as well as properties that have previously had service, but the tap has been abandoned, will require a water tap fee. Water taps are considered abandoned after three years of no service. If water service is not desired for a vacant house or lot, but the property owner does not want to abandon his water tap, a pit and setter fee of $7.50 per month may be paid to keep the tap current. An abandoned tap fee is $600.00. The fee for a new water tap is cost plus 10 percent, plus street repair. A monthly surcharge will be assessed on all 1" and larger meters. The surcharge will be $5.00 for 1”, $10.00 for 1 ½”, $15.00 for 2” and $20.00 for 3”. A sewer tap will cost $300.00.
Amended January 1, 2023