(A) It is the policy of the town 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 town'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:
(1) That all bills are due and payable on or before the date set forth on the bill; and
(2) That if any bill is not paid by or before that date, service will be discontinued for nonpayment in accordance with the procedures set forth in this section; and
(3) That any customer disputing the correctness of the bill shall have a right to a hearing at which time the customer may be represented in person and by counsel or any other person of the customer’s choosing and may present orally or in writing his 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.
(B) (1) Bills will be mailed to be received on or before the first day of the month, and will be due in full on or before the seventeenth day of the billing month.
(2) Bills paid after the seventeenth will be charged a late payment penalty on both the water and sewage at rates in accordance with applicable ordinances.
(3) Accounts not paid by the twentieth will be issued a letter requesting payment in full, advising of the payment policy and of the potential loss of service within 20 days. In the case of rentals a copy of this letter will also be sent to the property owner.
(4) The past due amount with late charges will be added to the following months bill. This bill will be rubber stamped in red ink on the face of the bill “Must be paid in full by the seventeenth or service will be discontinued on the eighteenth.”
(5) On the eighteenth shut off water services to these unpaid accounts and charge the current months bill a late charge.
(6) Water service will be resumed only after the total bill with late charges has been paid in full. Services will not be resumed on partial bill payment.
(7) Accounts unpaid after the first day of the following month (third month) will be added to the owner’s property tax.
(`87 Code, § 9-62)
Statutory reference:
Termination of water service for unpaid sewage charges, see I.C. 8-1.5-3-4
Cross reference:
Sewer service, see Chapter 52