On July 22, 2008, the city council conceptually approved the Sewer Services Charge structure for residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial customers. As part of the rate structure, the city Council directed the Public Works Department to develop a program which would encourage existing customers to implement technology in order to reduce the intensity of their discharge into the sewer system and to assist residential customers with an annual incentive. The following categories make up the Sewer Incentive Program (SIP):

• Industrial/Commercial
• Low Income
• Residential

The SIP was created to help reduce unwanted materials from the city's wastewater stream and to lower cost. The money saved benefits all customers, because the RWQCP's overall maintenance, operation and replacement costs will be favorably mitigated by the reduced treatment costs.

Unwanted material such as fats, oils, grease, pharmaceuticals and industrial discharges are just some of the substances that clog up sewer lines and place a heavy load on the wastewater treatment plant because of additional treatment requirements. While the disposal of these contaminants is being addressed through permitting, best management practices, and regulation, the installation of pre-treatment facilities by large industrial and commercial customers would reduce these unwanted materials from the city's wastewater stream. The proposed public education program will instruct customers as to appropriate disposal methods, again reducing such unwanted materials. The reduction in these unwanted materials from the city's wastewater stream will benefit all customers, because the RWQCP's overall maintenance, operation and replacement costs will be favorably mitigated by the reduced treatment costs.

Program objectives include

• Enhanced Public Education Programs for all City of Riverside residents, businesses, and industries
• Development of rebate programs for commercial and industrial customers in order to encourage the installation, operation, and maintenance of enhanced pre-treatment facilities
• Development of a low-income residential program which would offer an annual incentive to qualified applicants

The Sewer Incentive Program (SIP) would be structured into different programs for residential and industrial/commercial customers.