§ 51.51 RATES, FEES AND CHARGES GENERALLY.

   A schedule of water rates, fees and charges for permits or services can be found in § 36.01 of this code, as that section may be amended from time to time. Any rates or charges not specifically listed in § 36.01 are on file in the office of the City Clerk.

(Am. Ord. 2014-06, passed 11-10-2014)

§ 51.52 WATER SERVICE BILLING; CHANGE OF ADDRESS.

   All bills and notices shall be mailed or delivered to the address where service is provided. If non-resident owners or agents desire personal notice sent to a different address, they shall submit a request, in writing, to the City Treasurer. Any change or error in address shall be promptly reported to the City Treasurer.

(Am. Ord. 2014-06, passed 11-10-2014)

§ 51.53 WATER RATES.

   (A)   The rate due and payable by each user within the city for water taken from the water system shall be established pursuant to § 51.51.

   (B)   In case the meter is found to have stopped, or to be operating in a faulty manner, the amount of water used will be estimated in accordance with the amount used previously in comparable periods of the year.

   (C)   Rates due and payable by each water user located beyond the territorial boundaries of the city shall be determined by special contract.

   (D)   The minimum rates established pursuant to § 51.51 shall begin to accrue after connection of the service pipe with the curb stop box.

   (E)   A meter shall be installed on the water valve in the house along with a remote register regardless of whether inside piping is connected.

   (F)   In the event a water customer elects to discontinue the use of the municipal water, the base charge shall continue until the date service is disconnected at the curb box.

(Am. Ord. 2014-06, passed 11-10-2014) Penalty, see § 10.99

§ 51.54 PAYMENT OF CHARGES; LATE PAYMENT; COLLECTION.

   (A)   Any prepayment or overpayment of charges may be retained by the city and applied on subsequent bi-monthly charges.

   (B)   Bills for water charges shall be rendered on a bi-monthly basis succeeding the period for which the service was rendered and shall be due 25 days from the date of rendering. Any bill not paid in full 25 days after the due date will be considered delinquent. At that time, the city shall notify the delinquent owner/occupant in writing regarding the delinquent bill and subsequent penalty. The penalty shall be computed at 10% of the original bill.

   (C)   The owner of the premises shall be liable to pay for the service to their premises, and the service is furnished to the premises by the city only upon the condition that the owner of the premises is liable therefore to the city.

   (D)   For accounts on which a NSF check is received, the City Treasurer shall notify the customer immediately, by mail. Payment by cash, certified check or money order shall be required within five days of the notice. A service charge, as set forth in the fee schedule, will be charged for each NSF check returned to the city.

   (E)   (1)   Each and every water service charge is made a lien upon the lot or premises served, and all charges which are, on November 30 of each year, past due and delinquent shall be certified to the County Auditor by December 1, for collection as an assessment on the following year's property taxes. The amount certified to the County Auditor will also include a $75 administrative fee and a 10% interest charge.

      (2)   As an alternative to levying a lien, the city may, at its discretion, file suit in a civil action to collect amounts as are delinquent and due against the occupant, owner or user of the real estate, and shall collect as well all attorney's fees incurred by the city in filing the civil action. Attorney's fees shall be fixed by order of the court.

      (3)   In addition to all penalties and costs attributable and chargeable to recording notices of the lien or filing a civil action, the owner or user of the real estate being serviced shall be liable for interest upon all unpaid balances at the rate of 10% per annum.

(Am. Ord. 2014-06, passed 11-10-2014) Penalty, see § 10.99

ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT

§ 51.70 SUPERVISION BY UTILITIES SUPERINTENDENT; LICENSING.

   (A)   All piping connections from the curb stop box to house supply piping shall be made under the supervision of a licensed plumber subject to inspection by the Utilities Superintendent. The piping connection made to the curb stop box on the house side shall be inspected by the Utilities Superintendent. The water meter installation shall be inspected, tested and the meter sealed by the Utilities Superintendent.

   (B)   No person, firm or corporation shall engage in the business of altering, repairing, installing or constructing municipal water connections within the city without first obtaining a license to carry on the occupation from the city. A master plumber licensed by the state under the provisions of M.S. § 326.40, as it may be amended from time to time, is exempt from the provisions of this section. A person in the ditch installing the pipe who has a card showing that they have completed a program of training that incorporates the Plumbing Code installation requirements, issued by either the Associated Builders and Contractors, Laborers-Employers Cooperation Educational Trust, or Minnesota Utility Contractors Association, is not subject to the licensing requirements of this section.

      (1)   The applicant shall file with the City Clerk evidence of public liability insurance, including products liability insurance with limits of at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per occurrence and property damage insurance with limits of at least $10,000. Evidence of insurance required pursuant to M.S. § 326.40, Subd. 2, as it may be amended from time to time, shall satisfy this requirement.

      (2)   The applicant shall file with the City Clerk a surety bond guaranteeing the conformance and compliance of work with this chapter. The bond shall be in the amount of $2,000. The city shall hold the bond for one year following the license period. Failure to comply with provisions and requirements of this chapter shall result in forfeiture of the bond. The applicant may comply with the requirements of M.S. § 326.40, Subd. 2, as it may be amended from time to time in lieu of these requirements.

      (3)   Applications for licenses shall be filed with the City Clerk and shall be reviewed and subject to approval of the city.

      (4)   Any installation, construction, alteration of a water connection by a license in violation of any provision of this chapter or refusal on the part of a licensee to correct the defective work shall be cause for revocation of or refusal to renew a license. This license may be revoked or refused for renewal by the city at any time for cause which shall be documented in writing.

   (C)   All licenses required in this section shall be renewable annually. Applications for licenses shall be made annually on a form furnished by the City Clerk. Licenses shall be in effect from January 1 to December 31 of the same year. The license fee shall be established pursuant to § 51.51.

   (D)   Before any license issued under the provisions of this section may be revoked or its renewal refused, the licensee shall be given a hearing by the City Council to show cause why the license should not be revoked or refused. Notice of the time, place and purpose of the hearing shall be in writing.

(Am. Ord. 2014-06, passed 11-10-2014)

§ 51.71 POWERS AND AUTHORITY OF INSPECTORS.

   The Utilities Superintendent and/or other duly authorized employees of the city, upon proper identification, are authorized, with the permission of the licensee, owner, resident or other person in control of property within the city, to enter upon all properties for the purpose of inspections, observation and testing in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. If the licensee, owner, resident or other person in control of property within the city does not permit the entrance to the property, the city shall obtain an administrative search warrant as provided for in § 10.20 before entering the property, except in emergency situations.

(Am. Ord. 2014-06, passed 11-10-2014)