Apr. 22--The Marathon City Council on Tuesday approved final monthly sewer rates for residential and commercial properties.

The average homeowner would pay $68.13 in monthly fees. That's based on a base facility charge and an average monthly usage of 4,000 gallons of water.

City consulting firm Public Resources Management Group laid out the rate structure that the council approved unanimously at a special meeting at the Marathon fire station. The next step is for city staff to draft resolutions adopting the rates.

The base facility charge for every property in the city will be $35.97 monthly, meaning even if a property uses no water, its owner will pay that amount. The remaining charges are based on volume of water flow, with an average of $17.03 per month per 1,000 gallons of water.

According to the consultant, 57 percent of the residential households in the city use 4,000 gallons of water or less each month. Seventy-five percent use 6,000 gallons or less.

For commercial properties, a single equivalent dwelling unit will also be charged an average of $68.13 per month. Prices will fluctuate based on the amount of water flow.

Following is a list of what different-sized non-residential properties' monthly cost will be:

--A small resort with 23 EDUs averaging 74,000 gallons of water usage will pay $1,100.

--A marina with 42 EDUs averaging 150,000 gallons of water usage will pay $2,134.95.

--A commercial office/small retail space averaging 5,000 gallons of water usage will pay $76.17.

--A restaurant averaging 50,000 gallons of water usage will pay $742.89.

The council also approved the consultant's proposed stormwater assessment of $120. It will appear as a non-property tax assessment on tax bills.

According to a schedule on the city's Web site, construction on five of the seven sewer service areas in Marathon will be complete this year. An ordinance passed last year states the city will notify properties within one year of the anticipated date service will be available.

Customers are then required to connect to the city system within 30 days of availability, which is defined as collection facilities -- pipes -- within 5 feet of the property line. The base charge of $35.97 will begin on the mandatory date of connection.

Residents have a 360-day grace period following the mandatory connection date to avoid enforcement by the city, likely in the form of a lien against the property.

Average monthly sewer bills for the rest of the county: $80.89 in Layton, $77.37 in Bay Point and Conch Key, $58.92 in Islamorada and $54.68 for the Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District.

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