(A) The Township Board is hereby authorized to enforce the payment of charges for water service to any premises by discontinuing the water service to the premises and an action for collection may be instituted by the township against the user in a court of competent jurisdiction. Notice of intent lo discontinue service shall be given personally or by first-class mail to the user at the address served.
(B) It is the policy of the township to discontinue utility service to customers by reason of nonpayment of bills only after notice and a meaningful opportunity to be heard on disputed bills. The township’s form for application for utility service and all bills shall contain, in addition to the title, address, room number, and telephone number of the official in charge of billing, clearly visible and easily readable provisions to the effect:
(1) That all bills are due and payable on or before the date set forth on the bill; and
(2) That if any bill is not paid by or before that date, a second bill will be mailed containing a cutoff notice that if the bill is not paid within ten days of the mailing of the second bill, service will be discontinued for nonpayment; and
(3) That any customer disputing the correctness of his or her bill shall have a right to a hearing at which time he or she may be represented in person and by counsel or any other person of his or her choosing and may present orally or in writing his or her complaint and contentions to the city official in charge of utility billing. This official shall be authorized to order that the customer's service not be discontinued and shall have the authority to make a final determination of the customer's complaint.
(a) Requests for delays or waiver of payment will not be entertained; only questions of proper and correct billing will be considered. In the absence of payment of the bill rendered or resort to the hearing procedure provided herein, service will be discontinued at the time specified, but in no event until the charges have been due and unpaid for at least 30 days.
(b) When it becomes necessary for the township to discontinue utility service to a customer for nonpayment of bills, service will be reinstated only after all bills for service then due have been paid, along with a turn-on charge in the sum of $100.
(C) The charges for water service, which, under the provisions of Act 94 of 2008, being M.C.L.A. §§ 125.1771 through 125.1794, are made a lien on the premises to which furnished, are hereby recognized to constitute the lien, and the Township Treasurer shall, annually, on the first day of the second month preceding the date of levy of the township’s taxes, certify all unpaid charges for those services furnished to any premises which, on the day preceding, have remained unpaid for a period of six months, to the Township Board, which may require the Township Assessor to place the same on the next tax roll of the township. Those charges so assessed shall be collected in the same manner as general township taxes.
(D) Where the water service to any premises is turned off to enforce the payment of water service charges, the water service shall not be recommenced until all delinquent charges, plus a turn-on charge of $100, have been paid.
(Ord. 96-1, passed - -)