§ 358.20 — Rentals and charges

Iowa § 358.20

• Jurisdiction: Iowa
• Title IX: LOCAL GOVERNMENT
• Ch. 358: SANITARY DISTRICTS

Text

1. Any sanitary district may by ordinance establish just and equitable rates, charges, or
rentals for the utilities and services furnished by the district to be paid to the district by
every person, firm, or corporation whose premises are served by a connection to the utilities
and services directly or indirectly. The rates, charges, or rentals, as near as may be in the
judgment of the board of trustees of the district, shall be equitable and in proportion to the
services rendered and the cost of the services, and taking into consideration in the case of
the premises the quantity of sewage produced thereby and its concentration, strength, and
pollution qualities. The board of trustees may change the rates, charges, or rentals from
time to time as it may deem advisable, and by ordinance may provide for collection. The
board may contract with any municipality within the district, whereby the municipality may
collect or assist in collecting any of the rates, charges, or rentals, whether in conjunction with
water rentals or otherwise, and the municipality may undertake the collection and render
the service. The board of trustees may also contract pursuant to chapter 28E with one or
more city utilities or combined utility systems, including city utilities established pursuant to
chapter 388, for joint billing or collection, or both, of combined service accounts for sanitary
district services and utility services, and the contracts may provide for the discontinuance of
one or more of the sanitary district services or water utility services if a delinquency occurs
in the payment of any charges billed under a combined service account. The rates, charges,
or rentals, if not paid when due, shall constitute a lien upon the real property served by a
connection. The lien shall have equal precedence with ordinary taxes, may be certified to the
county treasurer and collected in the same manner as taxes, and is not divested by a judicial
sale.
2. If the delinquent rates or charges were incurred prior to the date a transfer of the
property or premises in fee simple is filed with the county recorder and such delinquencies
were not certified to the county treasurer prior to such date, the delinquent rates or charges
are not eligible to be certified to the county treasurer. If certification of such delinquent rates

or charges is attempted subsequent to the date a transfer of the property or premises in fee
simple is filed with the county recorder, the county treasurer shall return the certification to
the sanitary district attempting certification along with a notice stating that the delinquent
rates or charges cannot be made a lien against the property or premises.
3. Sewer rentals, charges, or rates may supplant or replace, in whole or in part, any
monetary levy of taxes which may be, or have been, authorized by the board of trustees for
any of the following purposes:
a. To meet interest and principal payments on bonds legally authorized for the financing
of sanitary utilities in any manner.
b. To pay costs of the construction, maintenance, or repair of such sanitary facilities or
utilities, including payments to be made under any contract between municipalities for either
the joint use of sewerage or sewage facilities, or for the use by one municipality of all or a
part of the sewerage or sewer system of another municipality.
4. When a sewer rental ordinance has been passed and put into effect, prior ordinances or
resolutions providing for monetary levy of taxes against real and personal property for such
purposes, or the portion thereof replaced, may be repealed.

Legislative History

[C31, 35, §6066-d7; C39, §6066.21; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, §358.20, 393.7; C75, 77, 79, 81, §358.20]