(A) Services may be discontinued at the request of the consumer. When services are discontinued and all bills paid, the deposit will be refunded in accordance with these rules and regulations, unless already refunded.
(B) Services may also be discontinued by the county, subject to the provisions of division (I) of this section, to any customer whose account remains delinquent for more than ten days. The deposit will be applied by the county toward settlement of the account. Any balance will be refunded to the consumer, but if the deposit is not sufficient to cover the bill, the county may proceed to collect the balance in the usual way provided by law for the collection of debts.
(C) Service discontinued for non-payment of bills will be restored only after bills are paid in full, and a service charge paid for each meter reconnected except as set forth hereafter. The consumer being reconnected must also make the required deposit. A late payment fee shall also be charged. Bills may be held by the Water Department, upon receipt of a fee, until the last day of the month following the cutoff date.
(D) After a connection has been discontinued for a period of 12 consecutive months, the county reserves the right to remove the meter base, meter, curb stop valve, meter box, and service line for use elsewhere or for salvage.
(E) At any time after the meter base, meter, curb stop valve, and meter box have been removed in addition to the service charge set forth in division (C) above, an additional service charge equal to the then current tap-on fee shall be paid as a reconnection fee. Also the consumer must make the required deposit.
(F) The county reserves the right to discontinue its service without notice for the following additional reasons:
(1) To prevent fraud or abuse;
(2) Consumer’s willful disregard for the county’s rules and ordinances;
(3) Emergency repairs;
(4) Insufficiency of the water supply;
(5) Legal processes;
(6) Direction of public authorities; and
(7) Strike, riot, fire, flood, accident, or any unavoidable cause.
(G) The county may, in addition to prosecution by law, permanently refuse service to any consumer who tampers with a meter or other measuring device.
(H) From time to time the county may give privileges for connections at reduced amounts in order to encourage additional hookups to increase revenue. Any consumer who takes advantage of a reduced connection will be responsible for paying minimum monthly water bills whether or not water is actually used until such time as the bill charge equals the then current charge for tap-on connection (including fee-in- lieu-of assessment charges). The consumer shall remain liable for minimum monthly bills thereafter until the consumer has notified the county in accordance with other provisions of this chapter that he or she desires to stop service.
(I) Disconnection for late payment.
(1) It is the policy of the county 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 county’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;
(b) 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
(c) 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 or her complaint and contentions to the town 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.
(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 county 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 in the sum of $20.
(1996 Code, § 52.58) (Ord. passed 9-20-1993; Ord. passed 4-5-1999; Ord. passed - -)