(A) The owner of a property served by the water supply system shall reimburse the city for any damage that a water meter may sustain resulting from carelessness of the owner, agent or tenant or from neglect by any of them to properly secure and protect the meter, as well as for any damage that may be caused by frost, hot water or steam backing from a boiler. If the owner fails to pay the reimbursement within the time required in the bill, the Department may shut off the water service until all charges have been paid to the city.
(B) (1) It is the policy of the city 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 city’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:
(a) That all bills are due and payable on or before the date set forth on the bill; and
(b) That if any bill is not paid by or before that date, a second bill will be mailed containing a shut off date by which the bill must be paid to prevent discontinuation of service for non-payment; and
(c) That any customer disputing the correctness of his bill shall have a right to a hearing at which time he may be represented in person and by counsel or any other person of his choosing and may present orally or in writing his 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 revise the amount of the customer’s bill.
(2) 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.
(3) When it becomes necessary for the city 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 of such amount as is authorized from time to time by Council by resolution.
(1993 Code, § 68-48) (Ord. passed 1-22-2001; Ord. 2014-01, passed 1-27-2014)