Billing will be by the city to the user, and shall be in accordance with the following.
(A) Bills will be rendered for all charges made in accordance with this subchapter and are due and payable on or about the first day of each month for service rendered during the preceding month. If the bill for sewer use furnished is not paid within 15 days from the date rendered, a penalty of 10% will be added, with a minimum penalty of $0.10 for any one bill. If the fifteenth day of net payment period falls on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday, bills may be paid without penalty on the next business day following.
(B) The date of payment shall be the date received.
(C) Bills for service to the federal government, state or local governments, or their departments and institutions shall be payable without penalty within 30 days of the date rendered.
(D) If any bill is not paid prior to the date of adding penalty, or if any sewer charges are due under this chapter or prior city ordinances, whether for sewer rental, penalties, liens or other fees attribute to sewer service, water service may be discontinued, and/or the sewer connection may be blocked to prohibit use, after five days’ written notice.
(E) All meters shall be read at least quarterly, and bills shall be rendered as stated above. If the meter reader is unable to procure a monthly reading of the meter, or meters, because ingress to the meter is obstructed in any manner, or entrance to the premises is made precarious by a vicious dog, or for any other reason, an estimate shall be made of the amount of water consumed and the billing shall be based on the estimate.
(F) If the meter reader is unable to gain access to the meter for a period of three consecutive months, water service may be discontinued and/or the sewer connection may be blocked to prohibit use after five days’ written notice.
(G) In addition to the foregoing remedy and such other remedies as are provided by law for the collection of delinquent sewer charges, it shall be lawful for the proper officers of the city to file a lien or liens against the property for any and all delinquent accounts, in the same manner provided by law in the case of unpaid city taxes on real estate and to proceed to collect the same.
(H) In cases where it becomes necessary for the city to block a sewer for non payment of bills, or other causes in accordance with this chapter, the user shall be billed for the actual cost of blocking said sewer and the reopening of same, prior to any permitted reuse of city sewers. Such actual cost shall include all costs of labor, equipment and material.
(I) In cases where it becomes necessary for the city to shut off water service for non payment of bills, or other causes in accordance with this subchapter, the user shall be billed a turn-on charge of $5. In such cases, the water will not be turned on until all sewer rentals, penalties, liens or other fees attributable to service due to the city shall have been paid, including the turn-on charge.
(Ord. 1225, passed 3-21-1977
; Ord. 1648, passed 12-18-2023)
Editor’s Note:
See also city’s fee schedule