(a) Each water service account bill shall represent water used as determined by an actual meter reading or estimated reading based upon previously used water at the same premises. Estimated readings shall be noted as such on the bill. Bills for each water service account shall be mailed to the customer on a monthly basis. Bills shall be due in full on the fourteenth day after mailing. Failure to pay a bill by the fourteenth day after mailing may be considered nonpayment for the purposes of Section 921.05
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(1) All payments to the Water Department shall be in currency, by check or money order. All checks will be accepted subject to collection at the bank. In the event a check is not honored by the bank and is returned for refund, the account to which payment has been credited will be charged twenty dollars ($20.00) for the returned check.
(2) If a check has been received by the Water Department that is returned by the bank as a dishonored check, upon notification to the customer of the return of the dishonored check, the customer shall make restitution on the dishonored check by making payment on the account as soon as possible in cash, by cashiers check or money order, only.
(3) If a customer causes two (2) dishonored checks to be presented to the Water Department within a one year period, the Water Department shall notify that customer in writing that payment for all future water bills must be made in cash, by cashiers check or money order, only.
(b) Meter readings will be taken in accordance with the water by-laws as established by the Director of Administration. Meter readings shall be taken as near the same day of the month as possible. Meters must be installed in such a location and manner so as to make them readily accessible for reading. If the meter reader is unable to obtain a reading by reason of the meter or remote register being out of order, or he is unable to gain access to either, an estimated charge will be made. If authorized by the Director of Administration, a meter reading card may be sent to customers when their meter cannot otherwise be read. Such cards shall be accurately marked by the customer to indicate the true meter reading and returned to the Water Department. Returned cards shall be considered as estimates only since actual water used shall be determined by a reading taken by a City employee. If access to the meter or remote register is not available for four consecutive months, notice will be serviced upon the customer to take corrective action.
(c) Inspectors, meter readers or employees of the Water Department whose duty it may be to enter upon private premises to examine meters, pipes or other fixtures used in connection with the City water supply shall be equipped with a proper badge or such other credentials as the Director of Administration may deem necessary to identify them as agents of the Water Department. Such inspectors, meter readers or employees authorized by the Water Department must have free access at all reasonable hours to all parts of the building for the purpose of inspecting meters, examining fixtures and observing the manner in which the water is used. In case any authorized inspection, meter reader or employee is refused admittance to any premise or is hindered or prevented from making such inspection or reading, water service to the premise may be terminated in accordance with Section 921.05 and not turned on again until free access is gained. (Ord. 97-9020. Passed 2-5-97.)
(d) All current utility service charges must be paid in full by the fourteenth (14th) calendar day of the current billing month. Customers who are unable to meet their financial obligation for utility service resulting from temporary circumstances, such as unemployment, death in family, extended illness, or abnormally high medical expenses, are encouraged to seek appropriate financial institution or social service agency assistance in order to meet the requirements of their utility charges for the current period in order to avoid the delinquency deadline and service termination/shut-off proceedings. Individuals must provide written evidence and the City must verify by the twenty-fifth day of the current billing month that arrangements have been made between the customer and a bonafide social service agency or financial institution to meet the complete financial obligation of the current and any delinquent utility charges. Upon receipt of the written evidence and verification of payment assistance by the Utility Billing Office, the City shall extend the shut-off date for the given individual by an additional twenty calendar days. Individuals may seek no more than two payment assistance payment extensions in a calendar year. No extensions will be granted on personal credit or promises to pay by individual utility customers unless said arrangements are paid in full in cash by the final collection date of the current billing period (i.e. the twenty-fifth calendar day of the current billing month). All payment assistance payment extensions must be placed in writing; signed by both the customer and the Mayor and filed with the Utility Billing Office. Failure of the social service agency or financial institution to remit payment within twenty calendar days will subject the customer to proceedings under the Termination of Service section of this chapter. If the social service agency or financial institution cannot guarantee payment in full within the twenty-day time limit, written notice from the institution must accompany the application for payment assistance payment extension and explicitly state when payment will be remitted to the City. The City shall maintain and provide upon request by the customer a list of social service agencies and financial institutions for customers to contact if payment assistance is needed. Utility services that have already been disconnected for non-payment are not eligible for payment extensions. All charges associated with said accounts must be paid in full in cash prior to service reestablishment. Payment arrangements are limited only to those circumstances, which are temporary and therefore are limited to two requests per calendar year. Continuing requests for payment arrangements will not be accepted. Once payment arrangement options established above are exhausted, service termination for non- payment/shut off procedures shall result.
(e) In the event that a customer fails to make payment of a monthly bill by the date it is due (see subsection (a) hereof) the City may propose to terminate the water service as provided by Section 921.05.
(Ord. 04-9496. Passed 4-7-04.)
(f) Customers have the right to request and attend a hearing for the purpose of disputing: the amount of any charge assessed by the City against the water service account of the customer; the amount of any credit accorded by the City to the customer for prior payment on the water service account of the customer. Any such hearing shall be conducted by the City in accordance with Section 921.06 and shall be limited to matters concerning the two billings immediately preceding the date of the request for hearing. Whenever a customer requests a hearing pursuant to this subsection, he shall not be obligated to pay the disputed portion of the bill unless and until and only to the extent that he is ordered to do so by the decision of the hearing officer or upon prior settlement of the dispute.
(g) When water rents or charges are not paid when due, the Director of Administration shall cause them to be certified to the County Auditor for placement as a lien upon the property served in accordance with the procedures set forth in Ohio R.C. 743.04. Certification of delinquent water charges shall be concurrent with certification of delinquent sewer charges.
(Ord. 97-9020. Passed 2-5-97.)
(1) That an administrative fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00) shall be added to the total dollar amount, which shall be certified to the County Auditor for placement as a lien upon the property for uncollected water accounts.
(Ord. 2015-1055. Passed 1-21-15.)
(h) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, where water service accounts are determined to be noncollectible by the Director of Administration, he may charge off delinquent accounts in the categories set forth below. In no event shall any account in any of the following categories be charged off from the account receivables unless and until the Director has, after diligent efforts, determined that the account cannot reasonably be collected, after taking into consideration the age of the account, the ownership of the premises served, the condition of the property, whether the property is occupied or vacant, whether the property is improved or unimproved, the expense of the collection when compared to the amount due, any billing errors on the part of the City, the adequacy of City records substantiating the account and any other factors relevant to such determination.
The Director shall maintain adequate records on each account which is charged off, indicating the reason that each such account is deleted from the account receivables.
The procedures established by the subsection shall not be utilized as a method of resolving disputed accounts in lieu of the procedures set forth in Section 921.06, but shall be for internal bookkeeping purposes only and in order to charge off delinquent accounts as follows:
(1) Water service accounts serving properties where the structures thereon have been demolished and the accounts have not been removed from the City’s files.
(2) Water service accounts serving properties where the water meter has been removed and billing records have not been adjusted accordingly.
(3) Flat rate sewer charges being billed after removal of the structures on the property.
(4) Accounts older than six years and barred by the applicable statute of limitations.
(Ord. 97-9020. Passed 2-5-97.)