(a) Late payment. The Office of Finance shall assess a penalty charge of 10% on all water and wastewater service charges established in §§ 13-5-805, 13-5-806, and 13-5-808 that are not paid within 30 days of the billed date. If requested by a customer, the Controller may waive the penalty charge no more than twice during a calendar year. In addition, the Controller shall waive the penalty charge upon making a determination that a late penalty is a result of a County error. The Controller may waive the penalty charge upon making a determination that an event or issued beyond a property owner’s control has resulted in billing or payment delays for multiple property owners, such as a state of emergency or United States Postal Service delivery delay.
(b) Incorrect billings or no billings. If billings are incorrect or not made due to an omission or error by a customer, the Office of Finance may back bill for a period not to exceed three years.
(c) Uninhabitable or unoccupied property. A customer may submit an application for a waiver of a water or wastewater usage bill for any property that becomes uninhabitable, or for residential property that will be unoccupied for three months or more because an owner of the property is activated to military service pursuant to an Executive Order issued by the President of the United States. The Department may grant the waiver and, if granted, the Office of Finance shall reduce the bill for usage to zero for a period of up to six months or until the property is habitable or occupied again. The waiver may be renewed in increments of up to six months upon application of the owner, for a maximum total of no more than ten years. The application shall be submitted to the Department within six months of the property becoming uninhabitable or the owner being activated to military service, or prior to the expiration of a previously granted six month waiver, and the property owner shall provide the Department with proof that the property is uninhabitable or a copy of the military orders calling the owner to active duty. If there are any costs to the utility to abandon service, even on a temporary basis, or to reestablish service, the customer shall pay these costs.
(d) Payment plans. In accordance with written policy of the Department, the Office of Finance may establish payment plans for the payment of any usage charges, penalties, and turnoff fees.
(e) Billing for higher than normal utility consumption. In accordance with written policy of the Department, the Office of Finance may adjust higher than normal utility consumption bills that are caused by events beyond the control of or are unknown to the customer or that do not reflect the actual service rendered.
(f) Sewer system backup reimbursement. The Department may reimburse a residential customer up to $1,000 for property damage sustained as a result of a sewer system backup into the customer's home, after a determination by Risk Management that the backup is not a liability of the County or caused by customer negligence. The customer shall provide receipts of expenses incurred to cleanup or replace damaged property and proof that the customer was not compensated for the damage by insurance.
(1985 Code, Art. 6, § 5-204) (Bill No. 80-03; Bill No. 5-13; Bill No. 66-14; Bill No. 61-20; Bill No. 114-21)