CHEMUNG COUNTY, NY (WENY) -- If you live in Chemung County, your sewer rates could increase significantly next month. The proposed rate changes come as the two existing Chemung County Sewer Facilities merge into one on Milton St. in Elmira.

"We’re consolidating our two sewer districts because we’ve got aged infrastructure and we also need to meet new state and federal mandates for our discharge limits into the Chemung River," said the Executive Director of the Chemung County Sewer Districts, Alexandra Rennie.

The project has an estimated $275M price tag, and it will help ensure the sewage system complies with state and federal regulations. On April 2nd, two public hearings were held for the community to voice their opinions on the proposed increases, but no one showed up.

If the proposed rates are adopted and you live in Elmira or Southport, the basic user charge would be $5.33 per unit. (One unit is 100 cubic feet or 748 gallons.) According to the Elmira Sewer District Basis for Scale of Charges (if passed) User Charges would be as follows:

- Bi-monthly water customers who are metered will be billed annually based on water consumption for the nearest available 12 previous months usage.
- Monthly water customers will be billed quarterly based on current water consumption.
- A minimum annual charge for metered water customers billed by the Elmira Water Board shall be based upon 16 units of water per year for a cost of $85.28
- An annual charge for residential dwellings using un-metered water (private wells) shall be based upon an estimated 80.2 units of water at $5.33 per unit for a cost of $427.47


Out of District Users:
- Out of District customers shall be charged at a rate including sewer user charges and Ad valorem charges as established by the Administrative Board which shall not be less than an in-District customer for the same use charges and Ad valorem charges.

Terms, Conditions, and Manner of Payments:
- Payments may be made without penalty within 60 days after the billing date.

Penalties for Non-Payment:
- Bills paid more than 60 days after the billing date will be subject to a penalty of 10%

Appeals:
- Appeals for review of charges shall be submitted in writing to the Executive Director within 30 days of billing date.

Unpaid User Charges - Lien on Real Property:
- Unpaid charges shall be lien upon the real property for which services were provided as of and from the first day fixed for payment of such charges.
- Said unpaid charges shall be transferred to the County Treasurer on or before the 1st day of December in each year in which property owners are in arrears in payment of said charges for a period of 30 days or more after the last day fixed for payment of such charges without penalty and collected as provided in Section 266 of County Law.

Discovery of Non-permitted Connection or Non-Connected User Charges:
- In the event that a sewer connection is discovered without being permitted or it is determined that a permitted sewer connection was not completed, the District shall issue a bill or reimbursement for the previous three years prior to the discovery, and the charges shall be based on the Method of Computation of User Charges.

Residential Septage:
- Residential septage accepted at the Elmira Wastewater Treatment Facility will be charged a fee of .06 per gallon, subject to the Sewer Use Law of the County and the Rules and Regulations of this District, and resolution by the Administrative Board as may be required for operation. Sludge, fats, oils, and grease accepted will be charged a fee of .10 per gallon.

New User Sewer Connection Permit Fees:
- The charges for regulating, permitting, and connecting to a public sanitary sewer within the District are based on average costs incurred by the District for such new connections.
The proposed fee schedule for each new connection is as follows:
- $200 per connection - 1-2 residential dwelling units
- $350 per connection - 3-6 residential dwelling units
- $500 per connection - more than six residential dwelling units, non-residential

If the proposed rates are adopted and you live in Horseheads, Veteran, Elmira Heights, or Big Flats, the basic user charge would be $507.85 per unit. (One unit is 60,000 gallons.) According to the Sewer District No. 1 Basis for Scale of Charges (if passed) User Charges would be as follows:

- Billing will be based on units of water used, with a “unit” being defined as 60,000 gallons of water. Where water is metered and such figures are available, the charge above the minimum will be based on actual consumption. Where water is not metered, or such figures are not available, cannot be obtained, or are inadequate, a classification system will be used.
- Each Single-family dwelling entity will be assigned one (1) unit. Commercial and public buildings will be assigned a number of units based on estimated water used, to be determined by DEC Guidelines as per their publication “Standards for Wastewater Treatment” and other information as shall be available.
- Customers will be considered small users if they use less than 2.5 units per month or thirty (30) units per year.
- Such customers will be billed annually. If they are metered, bills will be based on consumption for the nearest available 12 previous months usage. If they are un-metered, bills will be based on their assigned number of units.
- Customers deemed large users (more than 2.5 units per month or 30 units per year) will be billed quarterly. If they are metered, bills will be based on the current reading.
- Units will be determined to the nearest tenth (.1) for all users. There will be a minimum charge for all customers of two-tenths (.2) units per year or a cost of $78.02.
- An annual charge for residential dwellings using un-metered water (private wells) shall be based upon an estimated 1.0 units of water at $390.10 per unit for a cost of $390.10.


Out of District Users:
- Out of District customers shall be charged at a rate including sewer user charges and Ad valorem charges as established by the Administrative Board which shall not be less than an in District customer for the same use charges and Ad valorem charges.

Terms, Conditions, and Manner of Payments:
- Payments may be made without penalty within forty-five (45) days after the billing date

Penalties for Non-Payment:
- Bills paid more than forty-five (45) days after the billing date will be subject to a penalty of ten percent (10%).

Appeals:
- Appeals for review of charges shall be submitted in writing to the Executive Director within thirty (30) days of billing date. 

Unpaid User Charges – Lien on Real Property:
- Unpaid charges shall be a lien upon the real property for which services were provided as of and from the first day fixed for payment of such charges. Said unpaid charges shall be transferred to the County Treasurer on or before the 1st day of December in each year in which property owners are in arrears in payment of said charges for a period of thirty (30) days or more after the last day fixed for payment of such charges without penalty, and collected as provided in Section 266 of County Law.

Discovery of Non-permitted Connection or Non-Connected User Charges:
- In the event that a sewer connection is discovered without being permitted or it is determined that a permitted sewer connection was not completed, the District shall issue a bill or reimbursement for the previous three (3) years prior to the discovery, and the charges shall be based on the Method of Computation of User Charges.

Residential Septage:
- Residential septage accepted at the Elmira Wastewater Treatment Facility will be charged a fee of .06 per gallon, subject to the Sewer Use Law of the County and the Rules and Regulations of this District, and resolution by the Administrative Board as may be required for operation.
- Sludge, fats, oils, and grease accepted will be charged a fee of .10 per gallon.

New User Sewer Connection Permit Fees:
The charges for regulating, permitting, and connecting to a public sanitary sewer within the District are based on average costs incurred by the District for such new connections.
The proposed fee schedule for each new connection is as follows:
$200 per connection – 1 - 2 residential dwelling units
$350 per connection – 3 – 6 residential dwelling units
$500 per connection – more than 6 residential dwelling units, non-residential

For 2024, users in the Elmira Sewer District were charged $4.72 per unit of water used (1 unit is equal to 748 gallons of water). There was a minimum charge of $75.52. In 2024, users in Sewer District Number 1 were charged $390.10 per unit of water used (1 unit is equal to 60,000 gallons of water). There was a minimum charge of $78.02.

Rennie said the sewer facility consolidation project will be completed in the fall of next year. The rate change proposal will head to the Chemung County Legislature for a vote. Rennie said the new rates could go into effect as soon as next month (May) and would be retro-active to January 1st, 2025 if approved.

The consolidation project is funded through grants and state revolving fund loans and hardship loans through the state. Rennie said roughly 26% of the project is funded through grants worth $72.15M. The breakdown of grants can be found below.

2021 Water Quality Improvement Program: $10M
2024 Water Quality Improvement Program: $10
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Grant: $25M
Community Grant: $1M
American Rescue Plan Funds from the City of Elmira: $1M
Water Infrastructure Improvement Act: $25M
Appalachian Regional Commissioner (ARC): $150,000