(A) Service fee. Each water consumer shall pay in addition to the deposit described in division (F) below a service fee, as established by the Council, for the turning on of his or her water.
(2012 Code, § 88-47)
(B) Rates. Uniform monthly rates, as established by the Council, shall be charged all persons inside the city limits for the use of city water.
(2012 Code, § 88-48)
(C) All metered water to be charged for. All water that passes through the meter shall be charged for, whether used or not.
(2012 Code, § 88-49)
(D) Charges when meter out of order. If a water meter gets out of order and fails to register, the consumer will be charged at the average daily consumption, as shown by the meter when in order.
(2012 Code, § 88-50)
(E) Charges when one or more residence or business is served by the same connection.
(1) When one or more residence or business is serviced by the same water connection under the provision of § 52.03(B) of this chapter, the minimum monthly charge prescribed by division (A) above and § 53.01 of this code of ordinances shall be charged for the one connection and all other water usage shall be charged according to the rates set forth in division (A) above and § 53.01 of this code of ordinances for all usage over paid minimum. The minimum plus all water used over the minimum shall be charged to the customer having such connection.
(2) In the event of any future construction of multi-family dwellings, whether converted or new construction or where any more than one premises shall be serviced, there shall be individual meters for each unit, from 1-12-1984 forward.
(2012 Code, § 88-51)
(F) Deposit to assure payment.
(1) Each water consumer shall deposit with the city an amount established by the Council to assure the payment of the charges prescribed by this section. Such deposit may be applied to the payment of any unpaid bills and, when so used, the deposit shall be restored to the original amount. Any unused portion of the deposit shall be refunded at any time the account or service is discontinued.
(2) Any consumer that has service terminated due to non-payment shall, in addition to all delinquent amounts and service fees, pay the additional amount that brings such consumer’s deposit to the updated total amount as established by the Council.
(3) Any resident, business owner or business having more than one resident or business, with individual meters shall be required to post a deposit for each meter, as established by the Council.
(2012 Code, § 88-52)
(G) Service generally.
(1) Statements for water, sewer and garbage collection services (the “water bill”) will be sent to customers around the 27th day of each month.
(2) Water bills are due by the fifth of each month, and are delinquent if payment is not received by the fifteenth of that month. Delinquent payments will be surcharged an amount as established by the Council.
(3) Delinquency notices will be sent on the first business day following the 20th of the month. Delinquency notices will include the delinquency surcharge and a notice that water service will be disconnected if payment in full is not received by the first of the following month. In hardship cases, delinquencies may be cured by a pay-out agreement approved by the City Secretary and entered into with the customer before service is disconnected.
(4) Restoration of disconnected service will be in accordance with and subject to the fees and deposits required under current city tariff, just as a new customer account.
(5) New service will not be connected, nor deposits accepted for services to tenant-occupied properties for which the owner has a delinquent account. Owners of tenant-occupied property and new tenants of tenant-occupied property which was previously billed to the account of a former tenant will not be liable for the delinquent account of the former tenant. The city will seek recovery only against the former tenant.
(6) New owners of property will be required to pay a previous owner’s delinquent account only if a lien has been duly perfected against the property.
(2012 Code, § 88-53)
(H) Payment of charges; failure to pay.
(1) All charges for water service furnished or rendered by the city waterworks shall be payable at the office of the Water Department and, if not paid within ten days after they become due and payable, the city reserves the right to cut off and discontinue water service to the premises, and service shall not be reconnected and additional water shall not be furnished until all past-due accounts and charges are paid in full.
(2) Where service has been disconnected for failure to pay for service rendered, a charge, as established by the Council, shall be made for each meter disconnected before such service shall be restored or water turned on again. If all charges for water service are not paid within 20 days of the due date, the Water Department shall cut off and discontinue such water service.
(3) Any customer furnished water service who fails to pay for such service shall be assessed a penalty, as established by the Council, which shall be due per month until such past-due charges have been paid.
(2012 Code, § 88-54)
(I) Charges to continue until notice to discontinue service given; allowance when service discontinued. Any person wishing to discontinue the use of water supplied from the waterworks system must give notice to the city; otherwise, the charges referred to in this subchapter will be entered until such notice has been given. The charge for shutting off and turning on of such service shall be as established by the Council, and no allowance will be made in any case for less than 30 days.
(2012 Code, § 88-55)
(Ord. 140903, passed 9-9-2014; Ord. 171102, passed - -2017; Ord. 190301, passed 3-12-2019; Ord. 190302, passed 3-12-2019)