HomeMy WebLinkAboutApproving a Contract Wastewater Treatment H DeWulf Mechanical $14,900.00ORDINANCE No. 5371 -71
Passed by the Common Council of the City of South Bend,
December 27, 1971
Presented by me to the Mayor of the City of South Bend,
Approved and signed by
December 28, �9 71
Clerk
>f Common Council
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Clerk
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ORDINANCE NO. 5371 -71
AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OF THE CITY OF SOUTH
BEND, INDIANA, AND H. DeWULF MECHANICAL CONTRAC-
TOR, INC., FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A PARSHALL
FLUME AND SEWAGE METER IN THE AMOUNT OF $14,900.00.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA:
SECTION I: That the contract entered into between the Wastewater Treat-
ment Plant of the City of South Bend, Indiana and H. De Wulf Mechanical
Contractor, Inc. on the 8th day of December 1971 for the purpose of con-
structing a parshall flume and sewage meter in the amount of $14,900.00,
is hereby approved and confirmed.
SECTION II: This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and
after its adoption and approval by the Mayor.
Ist & 2nd READING 12 -13 -71
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
PUBLIC NEARING 12 -27 -71
3rd READING 12 -27 -71
NOT APPROVED
REFERRED
PASSED 12 -27 -71
Member of the Common Council
FILED IN CLERK'S OFFICE
DEC8, 1971
Kathryn L. Blough
City Clerk, South Bend, Ind.
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Your Committee of the Whole
to whom was referred AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OF THE CITY OF
SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, AND H. DEWULF MECHANICAL
CONTRACTOR, INC., FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A
PARSHALL FLUME AND SEWAGE METER IN THE AMOUNT
OF $14,900.00.
Respectfully report that they have examined the matter and that in their opinion the Ordinance go to the
Council as favorable
c
Chairman
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AREA 219 284 -9251
MEMO TO: MEMBERS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL
SUBJECT: METER FC:, DAME SEWAGE
FILED IN CLERK'S OFFICE
DEG 2 '11971
KATHRYN L. BLOUGH
CffY CLERK, SOUTH BEND, !ND.
December 20, 1971
The problem of equi: _ _:,,rging Notre Dame for the service of treating their
sewage has bee- one of 1-ng standing. On July 26, 1954, a contract was entered
into between Notre Dame and the City for this service. The contract is still
in effect and has bee- ;nciuoed for your reference. Several salient points in
this contract shP emphasized. First, Notre Dame agreed to pay at rates
estab'i ea b} J.:.'nance. Secondly, t:e ten year term and the automatic renewal
feature the absence .o written notice has been a severe problem in attempting
to achieve equity.
Various schemes have been used over^ the years to establish the bills submitted
to Notre Dame for sewage. The firs,: method depended on the campus population
and an estimate of the sewage generat;:a aer person. This resulted in billings
which were muo lower than those based or sewage flows in the sewers. To
improve this situation, a method was dev.sed based on the water pumped at Notre
Dame minus the water which was used for cooling and then deposited in the lakes
at Notre Dame. In addition, a 20% discount was applied to the total that was
calculated on his basis.
These methods are the result of two situations:
1. The absence of any primary sewage meas.-ring device.
2. The City is in an extremely weak barga <.',,,. Position due to the
10 Year term of the contract.
(2)
The 20% discount is believed to be a direct result of the second item. It
should be noted that under current ordinances and in the absence of the current
contract, Notre Dame could be:
1. Required to install adequate meter(s) to measure their sewage.
2. Charged for the actual amount of sewage they produce.
3. Assessed a 50% surcharge for beign outside of the City limits.
The ordinance before you in regard to this sewage meter does not purport to
completely resolve the problems which are outlined above. Since no revision of
the contract is possible before July, 1974, no gross change is anticipated in
the near term. However, installation of the meter at City expense would demonstrate
I
the williingness to meet Notre Dame halfway on this problem. In addition, facts
on sewage flow would replace the present speculation and educated estimates.
Notre,Dame has demonstrated by their actions in the past to pay for what they
have received in service. It is not unreasonable to assume that they would pay
for their'actual sewage production when the meter is installed and functioning.
Finally, the negotiations which can be anticipated in January 1973, could be
conducted with hard data to discuss.
Notre Dame has been alerted regarding our plans for this meter. They recommended
that we contact their architects so that duplicate facilities would not be con-
structed. Their architect was contacted and his information indicated long
range plans for a sewage meter existed but that the priority for this phase of
the entire project was extremely low
this meter by the City..
They had no objection to construction of
In his comments on the proposed annexation of Notre Dame, Father Edmund Joyce,
Executive Vice- President of Notre Dame, stated that although Notre Dame was
outside of the city limits, it enjoyed no special priveledge. In the area of
sewage charges, Notre Dame may not be receiving a "Special Priveledge", but
apparently they are receiving a bargain.
(3)
It is interesting to note that in 1966 Mr. Howard Goodhew, then Superintendent
of Utilities, recommended that a sewage meter for Notre Dame be installed. Five
years later, we believe it is still a good idea and recommend that you ratify
the contract now in hand to construct this meter.
Very truly yours,
l
DAVID A. WELLS
Assistant City Engineer