Loading...
Effective May 15, 2024, water service shall be furnished at the following rates within the City:
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 384.84)
1. General Rate. Except as otherwise provided herein, water use shall be billed at the following general rate: Eight dollars and seventy-three cents ($8.73) per one thousand (1,000) gallons used, prorated to the nearest 100 gallons, billed monthly.
2. Irrigation Meter Rate. For water use registered by an irrigation meter, for which no sewer service charge is made, the following rate applies and not the general rate:
A. Residential Customers. Irrigation water use shall be billed at a rate of 1,000 gallons, prorated to the nearest 100 gallons, as specified in the following tiered rate chart:
1 - 10,000 gallons | $8.73 |
10,001 to 30,000 gallons | $10.04 |
30,001 + gallons | $13.10 |
B. Commercial Customers. Irrigation water use shall be billed at a rate of 1,000 gallons, prorated to the nearest 100 gallons, as specified in the following tiered rate chart:
0 - 200,000 gallons | $10.41 |
200,001 + gallons | $20.42 |
(Section 8-1B-2 – Ord. 1142 – May 24 Supp.)
Billing and payment for water service shall be in accordance with the following:
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 384.84)
1. Meters Read. Water meters shall be read on a monthly basis.
2. Bills Issued. The Administrative Services Director, or designee, shall prepare and issue bills for water service on or before the first day of the month following each monthly billing period.
3. Bills Payable. Bills for water service shall be due and payable at the Utility Billing Office by the 15th of the month following the end of each monthly billing period.
4. Late Payment Penalty. Bills not paid when due shall be considered delinquent. A one-time late payment penalty of 10 percent of the amount due shall be added to each delinquent bill. The City Manager is authorized to waive the penalty in instances where circumstances seem to justify such waiver.
5. Returned Checks. A fee, as set forth in the fee schedule established by Council, shall be charged for all checks not honored by the bank.
Water service to delinquent customers shall be discontinued in accordance with the following:
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 384.84)
1. Notice. Within five days following the date that bills for water service are due and payable (i.e., the fifteenth day of the month), the Clerk shall send a written notice to each delinquent customer that water service will be discontinued if payment, including late payment charges, is not received within 10 days from the date the notice is mailed. The notice shall afford the customer the opportunity to request a hearing before the Clerk prior to the discontinuation of service. Such written notice shall be sent by first class mail. If the customer is a tenant and if the owner or landlord of the property has made a written request for notice, the written notice sent to the customer shall also be given to the owner or landlord.
2. Service Discontinued. If payment is not received within 10 days following the date the written notice is sent to the customer and payment arrangements have not been made pursuant to a hearing before the Clerk, the Public Works Department shall leave a notification card of shutoff of the supply of water on the premises of any customer who, not having requested a hearing, has failed to make payment by the date specified in the notice of delinquency. Twenty-four hours following the delivery of the notification card to the customer, the Public Works Department shall shut off the supply of water.
3. Fees. The customer shall pay a fee set forth in the fee schedule established by the Council for the issuance of a notification card to a delinquent customer regarding the shutoff of the water supply. A turn on fee, in the amount set forth in the fee schedule established by the Council, shall be required to be paid before service is restored to a delinquent customer during regular business hours. If service is restored to a delinquent customer after regular business hours, the customer shall pay the fees set forth in the fee schedule established by the Council for restoration of service after regular business hours.
There shall be required from every customer or prospective customer a deposit intended to guarantee the payment of bills for service, as follows:
1. Residential. For residential users:
A. Owner $50.00
B. Renter 100.00
2. Commercial:
A. For commercial users:
Size | Rate |
3/4 to 1 inch | $50.00 |
1 1/2 inch | $60.00 |
2 inch | $90.00 |
3 inch | $150.00 |
4 inch | $190.00 |
6 inch | $310.00 |
B. For any commercial and industrial properties where the previous experience of that building use shows a water bill to be substantially higher than the deposit shown for that size meter, then the deposit should be equivalent to one billing period.
3. Hydrant Meters. A deposit shall be made for hydrant meters, with the amount of the hydrant meter deposit determined in accordance with an established fee schedule, which fee schedule may be modified from time to time with the approval of the Council.
1. Owner and Tenant Responsible. The owner of the premises served and any lessee or tenant thereof shall be jointly and severally liable for water service charges to the premises. Water service charges remaining unpaid and delinquent shall constitute a lien upon the property or premises served and shall be certified by the Clerk to the County Treasurer for collection in the same manner as property taxes.
A. Water Service Exemption. The lien for nonpayment shall not apply to charges for water service to a residential or commercial rental property where water service is separately metered and the rates or charges for the water service are paid directly to the City by the tenant, if the landlord gives written notice to the City that the property is residential or commercial rental property and that the tenant is liable for the rates or charges. The City may require a deposit not exceeding the usual cost of 90 days of such services to be paid to the City. When the tenant moves from the rental property, the City shall refund the deposit if all service charges are paid in full. The lien exemption does not apply to delinquent charges for repairs related to any of the services.
B. Other Service Exemption. The lien for nonpayment shall also not apply to the charges for any of the services of sewer systems, stormwater drainage systems, sewage treatment, solid waste collection, and solid waste disposal for a residential rental property where the charge is paid directly to the City by the tenant, if the landlord gives written notice to the City that the property is residential rental property and that the tenant is liable for the rates or charges for such service. The City may require a deposit not exceeding the usual cost of 90 days of such services to be paid to the City. When the tenant moves from the rental property, the City shall refund the deposit if all service charges are paid in full. The lien exemption does not apply to delinquent charges for repairs related to any of the services.
C. Written Notice. The landlord’s written notice shall contain the name of the tenant responsible for charges, the address of the residential or commercial rental property that the tenant is to occupy, and the date that the occupancy begins. Upon receipt, the City shall acknowledge the notice and deposit. A change in tenant for a residential rental property shall require a new written notice to be given to the City within 30 business days of the change in tenant. A change in tenant for a commercial rental property shall require a new written notice to be given to the City within 10 business days of the change in tenant. A change in the ownership of the residential rental property shall require written notice of such change to be given to the City within 30 business days of the completion of the change of ownership. A change in the ownership of the commercial rental property shall require written notice of such change to be given to the City within 10 business days of the completion of the change of ownership.
D. Mobile Homes, Modular Homes, and Manufactured Homes. A lien for nonpayment of utility services described in Paragraphs A and B of this section shall not be placed upon a premises that is a mobile home, modular home, or manufactured home if the mobile home, modular home, or manufactured home is owned by a tenant of and located in a mobile home park or manufactured home community and the mobile home park or manufactured home community owner or manager is the account holder, unless the lease agreement specifies that the tenant is responsible for payment of a portion of the rates or charges billed to the account holder.
2. Lien Notice. A lien for delinquent water service charges shall not be certified to the County Treasurer unless prior written notice of intent to certify a lien is given to the customer. If the customer is a tenant and if the owner or landlord of the property has made a written request for notice, the notice shall also be given to the owner or landlord. The notice shall be sent to the appropriate persons by ordinary mail not less than 30 days prior to certification of the lien to the County Treasurer.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 384.84)
Loading...