(A) All water, sewer and garbage rates must comply with rate schedules as adopted by Town Council.
(B) All rates are subject to established user fees (i.e., calculation of usage set by approved engineering standards to rate usage relative to comparable number of residential units as required by EPA, HUD, FHA or other funding agreements) accepted by the Town Council.
(C) Each commercial or residential unit shall be metered individually. For existing multi-unit residential or commercial customers on one meter, the minimum for each service will be charged for each unit whether occupied, in use or not. The multiple minimum will not affect the water rate schedule or increase volume provided for by the minimum (i.e., one unit or ten units would be calculated according to the rate schedule without the increased usage being added with the minimum).
(D) Each utility customer in town will be required (mandatory) to pay either residential or commercial garbage fees as established by the Town Council, except any customers that have an approved licensed garbage service firm providing bins or other services not available through the town. These exceptions must be approved in advance by Town Council.
(E) Utility payments are prorated against all charges. Customers cannot pay for just one service or elect not to pay for any one service. For example, if a customer elects not to pay for sewer or garbage and makes payment on water, his or her payment is prorated against all charges and will leave an unpaid balance on all charges.
(F) All utility accounts not paid in full by the fifth of the month following billing will be assessed an additional $10 penalty described as a cut-off/cut-on fee. This fee is automatic and has no relation to the service actually being cut-on or cut-off. For example, if the customer paid the delinquent utility bill on August 6, the fee would be included in his, her or their bill even though the service had not been disconnected. This prevents the utility worker from being in the process of discontinuing service and a person paying and then not wanting to pay the $10 penalty. All accounts not paid by the fifth of the following month will be subject to disconnection.
(G) Partial payments will be accepted on utility bills. Partial payments will be discouraged. Also, accounts not paid in full will be subject to late charges and penalties and/or disconnection of service.
(H) Tampering with water meters shall be subject to fines and prosecution in accordance with S.C. Code § 16-13-385. In an effort to prevent this, the town will install wire meter tags on all operating meters and will lock all disconnected meters.
(I) Garbage service does not include hauling of contracted service debris, such as from construction sites or other contracted services, unless provided for in accordance with Chapter 110 of this code (the town’s business license ordinance).
(J) Garbage service for multiple church buildings on the same site or adjacent site excluding the parsonage shall be charged only one garbage fee at the residential rate. Churches are charged residential utility rates.
(K) Usage adjustments may only be approved by majority of the Town Council. Usage errors or usage problems relative to the meter or meter connection shall be adjusted by averaging the previous three-month consumption of the customer. The customer will pay based on this average, rather than the actual reading, if due to error or problem of the town.
(L) Extensions of utility service, water or sewer are not allowed outside of town limits unless specifically authorized by the Town Council.
(M) Advance utility payments will be received, thus giving customers a credit balance. Credit balances do not earn interest, but will be considered as held in escrow until future billings remove this credit balance.
(Prior Code, § 13.04.130) (Ord. 88-05, passed - -)