(A) The amounts to be levied and collected from any person, business or entity using the city water system shall be computed in accordance with the following monthly water rate schedule and all fees or charges pertaining to this chapter in the future shall be updated or changed by ordinance:
(B) (1) Monthly residential rates for customers within the city limits: as provided in water rate schedule. Provided, however, that where more than one residential customer is serviced from the same water meter, each such customer shall pay a minimum monthly rate (as provided in the water rate schedule) plus the amount of water provided through such meter as shown on the foregoing schedule, after an allowance for the base number of gallons per customer serviced by said meter.
(2) Monthly commercial rates for customers within the city limits. As provided in water rate schedule. Said commercial rates shall apply to all customers except multi-family and residential.
(3) Residential and commercial customers outside the city limits. Residential customers whose premises are located outside the city limits shall pay the same rates as customers located inside the city limits.
(4) Fire hydrants. Any person, business or entity authorized by the city to use water from a fire hydrant shall pay a deposit, in addition to a monthly base rate charge plus a fee for each thousand gallons used, (as provided in the Fee and Water Rate Schedule).
(5) Monthly water charges are provided in the following water rate schedule:
CITY OF FERRIS WATER RATE SCHEDULE EFFECTIVE 10/1/2023
| |||||
Fixed Rate | Variable Rate | ||||
User class | (base - charged per unit. Includes 2,000 gallons) | Consumption | Price per 1,000 gallons | ||
Effective 2023 | Effective 2024 | Effective 2023 | Effective 2024 | ||
CITY OF FERRIS WATER RATE SCHEDULE EFFECTIVE 10/1/2023
| |||||
Fixed Rate | Variable Rate | ||||
User class | (base - charged per unit. Includes 2,000 gallons) | Consumption | Price per 1,000 gallons | ||
Effective 2023 | Effective 2024 | Effective 2023 | Effective 2024 | ||
RESIDENTIAL | $31.91 | $32.55 | 2,001 to 12,000 gallons | $6.38 | $6.51 |
12,001 to 22,000 gallons | $7.14 | $7.29 | |||
22,001 to 32,000 gallons | $8.56 | $8.74 | |||
32,001 gallons and above | $10.28 | $10.48 | |||
MULTI-FAMILY | $31.91 | $32.55 | 2,001 to 12,000 gallons | $6.38 | $6.51 |
12,001 to 22,000 gallons | $7.14 | $7.29 | |||
22,001 to 32,000 gallons | $8.56 | $8.74 | |||
32,001 gallons and above | $10.28 | $10.48 | |||
COMMERCIAL | $31.91 | $32.55 | 2,001 gallons and above | $7.14 | $7.29 |
FIRE HYDRANT METER | $103 | $103 | Gallons used | $5.88 | $5.88 |
The total monthly rate for a user shall be the sum of the fixed rate plus the variable rate times the user’s water volume for the month. | |||||
(C) Due dates for payment of monthly water utility bills, late charges and disconnection for delinquent payment or nonpayment.
(1) As nearly as reasonably practical, each customer shall be sent a monthly water utility bill to the customer's address shown on the department's records. Each water utility bill shall include but shall not be limited to the applicable monthly base rate for water and water usage. Each water utility bill shall be due and payable within 48 hours after the same is mailed by the department or is delivered to the customer, whichever event shall first occur. Payment of a water utility bill shall be made to the City of Ferris Water Department, 104 S. Central, Ferris, Texas 75125.
(2) Any customer who fails to pay a water utility bill within 15 days from the date such bill was invoiced shall be subject to a late payment penalty in the amount of 10% of the total amount due. Payments must be in the office, not postmarked, to avoid a late payment penalty.
(3) Any customer who fails to pay the water utility bill and/or any other fee, penalty or charge imposed, levied and/or assessed under this chapter within 20 days from the date such bill was invoiced shall be subject, without notice from the city, to such customer's services being disconnected from the city's water system. Failure to receive a bill or second notice will not relieve the customer of the responsibility of timely payment of the account and will not negate any fees or penalties due.
(4) Any customer which has been placed on disconnect list for non-payment under this division (B) of this section shall pay all delinquent water utility bills as may be required under § 50.002 of this chapter prior to reconnection. Additionally, a service trip fee shall be charged for reconnections made between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on normal city workdays, as provided in the fee schedule. An increased trip service fee, as provided in the fee schedule shall be charged for reconnections made between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. on normal city workdays or at such other times as may be approved by the Director. No reconnections will be made after 10:00 p.m. or before 8:00 a.m. on normal workdays or at any other time unless approved by the Director.
(5) The owner of the premises serviced and customer in whose name the account for services exists are jointly and severally liable for all charges for monthly water utility bills, late payments and reconnection fees assessed, levied or imposed under this chapter. Nevertheless, where service is provided to a tenant or occupant in a structure, whether residential or commercial, or to more than one tenant or occupant through a master meter or single service connection, the other owners and occupants shall remain jointly and severally liable for the unpaid delinquent amounts if the customer in whose name the account exists fails, refuses or is unable to pay the amounts shown on a water utility bill as the same became due and payable. The Director may refuse service or discontinue service to all other tenants, occupants and/or customers in said structure in the same manner provided for in this § 50.005 of this chapter until all delinquent amounts are fully paid.
(6) Where a person, business or entity which is liable for any delinquent amounts at one address is found to have an account in his or its name at another address, the delinquent amounts at the previous address may be transferred to the account at the new address, and service discontinued at the new address until the delinquent amounts are fully paid.
(7) Miscellaneous charges and provisions.
(a) Requested disconnect fee. The service charge for a department employee answering the request of a customer for a temporary disconnection of service shall be charged, as provided in the Fee Schedule, per trip and shall be paid by such customer upon demand.
(b) Return check fee. Upon the return of any check issued by a customer and is not paid or is returned by the bank on which it is drawn for any reason, a fee shall be assessed for such returned check and shall be paid by the customer who issued such check, as provided in the fee schedule. Upon notice that the customer's check did not clear the bank, the account will be treated as though no payment was made.
(c) Delinquent fee. Once the department clerk has generated a list of delinquent accounts, a delinquent fee will be charged, as provided in the fee schedule. Reconnect fees will automatically be applied once the disconnect list has been generated, even if the water service has not yet been disconnected.
(d) Adjustment for leaks. Any customer who requests an adjustment due to a water leak shall present to the Director such documents and verification as the Director may require to substantiate that a water leak has occurred. If the Director is satisfied that a leak has occurred, the Director may adjust one month's billing to that customer during the period of the leak to an amount equal to the full applicable base and usage rate for the first 10,000 gallons of water or the average usage for the previous two months, whichever is greater and to charge a reduced amount, as provided in the fee schedule, per thousand gallons over that amount for that month. The customer shall not be entitled to any further adjustments for that leak even though said leak may have extended into two or more monthly billing periods. The customer shall not be entitled to any further leak adjustments for six months after receiving a leak adjustment.
(Am. Ord. O-17-840, passed 9-5-2017; Am. Ord. O-18-877, passed 10-15-2018; Am. Ord. O-20-914, passed 5-18-2020)