(A) The water and sewer rates or changes set forth in this subchapter shall be billed monthly on statements which shall be issued on or about the first day of each month, and all bills for such services shall be considered due and payable ten days after the date of issue thereof. If a bill is not paid within ten days after such date of issue, the bill shall be considered delinquent, and there shall be imposed a penalty on each bill not so paid in an amount equal to 15% of the charges (other than sales tax) shown on the face amount of the delinquent bill.
(B) 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:
(1) That all bills are due and payable on or before the date set forth on the bill;
(2) That if any bill is not paid by or before that date, a second bill will be mailed containing a cutoff notice that if the bill is not paid within ten days of the mailing of the second bill, service will be discontinued for nonpayment; and
(3) That any customer disputing the correctness of his or her bill shall have a right to a hearing at which time he or she may be represented in person and by counsel or any other person of his or her 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 make a final determination of the customer’s complaint.
(C) (1) Requests for delays or waiver of payment will not be entertained; only questions of proper and correct billing will be considered.
(2) 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.
(D) (1) If water service is disconnected by the city by reason of a delinquency in the payment of any water or sewer bill, a reconnection of such service shall not be made until the owner or user pays all delinquent charges and penalties owed, plus the amount of $50 as a disconnection and reconnection charge.
(2) If any deadline as to any such payments falls on a Sunday or a legal holiday, the deadline shall not expire until the next regular business day thereafter. The reconnection fee for a reconnection of city water service on the same day that the water service was disconnected is $75.
(E) All billings for water, sewer, and garbage, as well as space rentals at the city trailer park shall:
(1) Remain in the name of the owner;
(2) Be sent to the owner; and
(3) Payment shall be the responsibility of the owner.
(Prior Code, § 50.071) (Ord. 9.83, passed 9-12-1983; Ord. passed 10-15-1985; Ord. 2018.08.07, passed 9-10-2018; Ord. 2022.09.02, passed 9-19-2022)