(A) Billing issues.
(1) If any residential or commercial user believes that his or her user charges are unfair with respect to charges made to similar residential or commercial users, the user may request in writing to the Manager that the charges be reviewed. The request shall set out in detail the facts and figures supporting the user's alleged unfair charge and a proposed solution.
(2) The Manager shall review the request and determine whether the charges are fair with respect to the user made by some other residential or commercial users. The Manager's determination shall be made in writing. If the Manager finds that the charges made are not fair, then he or she shall modify those charges to bring them into compliance with rates charged other residential or commercial users. If the Manager finds that the charges are fair, no change in rates shall be made.
(3) If the user does not agree with the determination of the Manager, the user shall, within ten days of receipt of the determination, submit in writing a request for a hearing before the City Council. If, upon such a hearing, a majority of those present and voting of the City Council are of the opinion the Manager's decision is correct, then the decision shall be affirmed. Otherwise the Council shall have the power to revise the decision made by the Manager. The same complaint may not be re-filed for three years.
(B) Water usage.
(1) A customer may request to have a meter proven for accuracy; the customer must agree in writing to pay for the calibration. In the event the meter is proven to be incorrect within standards of the meter, the city will pay for the calibration and will adjust the customer's previous billing. The meter testing will be done by an independent third party.
(2) The city may adjust the water service charges as billed where all the following conditions are met:
(a) The amount billed is much higher than the customer is normally billed for a comparable month;
(b) The customer proves to the satisfaction of the City Manager that the reason for the high usage is an extraordinary condition relating to the water pipes on the customer's side of the meter, such as a broken pipe, but not including leaking faucet washers; and
(c) The customer provides proof that the condition has been repaired.
(3) If the customer proves the requirements were met in this section, the city may provide a discount after documentation that the leak has been fixed (i.e. a paid plumbers bill, and the like). The discounts would be calculated on the quantity of water used, billed at the lowest commodity.
(Ord. 127, passed 6-23-2011)