(A) If water rentals and other charges are not paid within 17 days after the bill is mailed, there shall be added a late payment charge of 10% of the first $3 and 3% of the excess over $3.
(B) In the event service charges or water rentals are not paid within 30 days after the date they are due, which is the billing date, the Town Water Department shall send written notice to the user of its intention to discontinue water service if the unpaid charges are not paid before a date specified in the notice. This notice must be mailed not less than ten days before the water service is to be discontinued and be addressed to the user or the property owner at his or her last known address.
(1) When the service is turned off for non-payment of the bill or for any reason beyond the control of the waterworks, reestablishment of services required by any one customer, a reconnection charge of $40 will be made by the waterworks to cover the cost of discontinuance and re-establishment of the services. If the reconnection is done after regular business hours, the fee shall be $80. The charge, together with any arrears due the waterworks, shall be paid by the customer before service will be re-established.
(2) It shall be the duty of the Water Company to disconnect or shut off water service for any person in arrears as provided in this division and to reinstate water service in accordance with this division when all fees and charges have been paid.
(C) Any person, firm, or corporation owning real estate that is serviced with water is personally responsible therefor, and if the premises are vacated without all water rentals being paid up to the time of the vacation, the person, firm, or corporation shall not thereafter be supplied with water through any service until all back water rentals and charges are paid. This shall apply in all respects to any tenant or other user of this water service.
(D) When a customer’s check is not honored due to insufficient funds or the account being closed, a charge for processing the same will be made by the town in the amount of $29.
(E) Any customer disputing the correctness of his or her bill shall have a right to a hearing at which time he or she may present orally or in writing his or her complaint and contentions to the town official in charge of utility billing. This official shall e 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.
(F) 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 remained due and unpaid for at least 30 days.
(1985 Code, § 715-40) (Ord. 80-8, passed 12-1-1980; Am. Ord. 89-14, passed 12-4-1989; Am. Ord. 90-3, passed 2-19-1990; Am. Ord. 98-5, passed 2-23-1998; Am. Ord. 09-06, passed 3-23-2009)