Water Department

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Water Tap Fees and Rates

Water rates are based on the costs of treating, maintaining, delivering, metering, and administering  water to customers.  Rates are approved by the Bardstown City Council.

Updated: July 1, 2022

Consumer Price Index (CPI) of 8.6% will be added to the rates adopted September 1, 2021 per the City of Bardstown Code of Ordinances. Documentation for the CPI is available from the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics http://www.bls.gov/.

Current Water Rates

2021 8.6% CPI (2022) 4.0% CPI (2023)  
$15.21 $16.52 $17.18 Monthly minimum in City, for first 2000 gallons
$22.29 $24.21 $25.18 Outside City, for first 2000 gallons
$4.79 $5.20 $5.41 Per 1000 Gallons for the next 76,000 gallons
$3.65 $3.96 $4.12 Per 1000 Gallons for all over 78,000 gallons


Water Connection Charge
Water Connection or meter tap fees are based on the size of the water meter.  The owner or contractor must submit a Water Connection & System Development Charge form with applicable payment to City Hall.   The Customer should mark the desired location of the water meter with a grade stake indicating the final ground elevation if different than the existing condition.  The meter must be placed in a grass area along public street frontage on the customer's  property.   Bardstown Public Works personnel will tap the main and install a City issued water meter.  A two week notice is required for all water connections.

WATER CONNECTION FEES listed below include the cost of labor and materials.

Size (Inches)

In City Limits

Out of City Limits

5/8 x 3/4

$1,350

$1,475

3/4

$1,350

$1,475

1

$1,750

$1,875

1-1/2

$3,500

$3,625

2

 

$4,000

 

$4,125

 
Standard residential water meter size is a 5/8" x 3/4".

SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT CHARGE
System development charges (SDC) are a one time fee paid at the time of water connection used to fund improvements to the water system needed due to growth and development in the community.  The SDC charge is based upon a customers average monthly water usage.  The rate is $100 per 1000 gallons of usage.

Residential
A Residential Single Family Household SDC charge is based upon the average household usage of 4000 gallons.  A multi-family household SDC is based on 2000 gallons of monthly water usage.

The SDC for multiple unit residential and commercial buildings shall be by the prevailing charge as shown below and one-half the prevailing fee for each additional unit under the same roof. Duplexes, Multiplexes and townhouse buildings that have each unit platted on its own individual lot and/or under individual ownership are considered single family dwellings and are not subject to the discounted connection fee rate described.

Residential Single Family SDC= $400
Residential Multi-Family Unit SDC=$200

Commercial-Industrial-Institutional
The owner or builder must provide the City with an engineer's certified estimate of the monthly water usage before a connection request and System Development Charge (SDC) can be processed.  That estimate is used to calculate the required fees.  For high volume water users the SDC is broken down as shown below. 

Ave. Monthly Water Usage                  Fee/1000 gallons

First 40,000 gallons                                $100
Next 60,000 gallons                                $90
Next 100,000 gallons                             $80
Over 200,001 gallons                            $70

Maximum Water SDC is $20,800. 

For high volume water users there is a 1% Discount to SDC charges per industrial job created over 25 upon certification of the President of the Bardstown Industrial Development Corporation.  The discount cannot reduce the SDC below $10,400 for water and $14,600 for sewer for a combined SDC of $25,000.


Fire Service Charges
All unmetered taps shall be charged per size of fire service main leaving the city water main for fire protection according to the following schedule:

Size of Fire Service Main Charge per Month*:

2-inch $ 5.91

4-inch $ 11.88

6-inch $ 27.14

8-inch $ 52.55

10-inch $ 106.32

12-inch $ 212.08

* All rates adjusted with current (2023) CPI


 Non-reoccurring Fees

  • Disconnect / Reconnect Fee
  • Returned Check
  • New Account Activation
  • Internet Payment Fee
  • Admin / Credit Card Processing Fee
  • After Hours Service Call Fee
  • Tampering with Water Meter Fines


Typical Bill July 1, 2023
Typical household bill for 4,000 gallons is $28.00 for City Customers and $36.00 for Customers in the County.