(A) Water bills shall be due and payable monthly in advance, at the office of the Water Collector; provided, that those businesses whose water usage is metered shall pay their bills after the usage is determined by the Utility Superintendent or his or her authorized agent. For commercial customers, the Utility Superintendent shall read or cause to be read water meters monthly on or about the last day of the month during which service is used. Bills shall be due on the first day of each month and shall be payable by the fifteenth day of each month. Bills not paid by the fifteenth day of each month shall be deemed to be delinquent. Upon being deemed to be delinquent, as herein defined, the City Clerk shall give a written notice to the customer of such delinquency and shall demand payment immediately.
(B) In the event that the bill is not paid within seven days after the sending of said notice, it shall be discretionary with the Superintendent to cut off service at any time.
(C) The Utility Superintendent shall assess an additional fee of $30 during normal working hours and $60 after normal working hours in the event that water is shut off for the nonpayment of any water bill, to compensate the city for the additional hookup necessary to again provide water service to the delinquent customer.
(D) No public or private utility company, including any utility owned and operated by the city, furnishing water, natural gas or electricity at retail in this city shall discontinue service to any domestic subscriber for nonpayment of any past-due account unless the utility company first gives notice to any subscriber whose service is proposed to be terminated. Such notice shall be given in person, by first-class mail or by electronic delivery, except that electronic delivery shall only be used if the subscriber has specifically elected to receive such notices by electronic delivery. If notice is given by first-class mail or electronic delivery, such notice shall be conspicuously marked as to its importance. Service shall not be discontinued for at least seven days after notice is sent or given. Holidays and weekends shall be excluded from the seven days. A public or private utility company shall not charge a fee for the discontinuance or reconnection of utility service that exceeds the reasonable costs of providing such service.
(Neb. RS 70-1605)
(E) (1) The notice required by Neb. RS 70-1602 shall contain the following information:
(a) The reason for the proposed disconnection;
(b) A statement of the intention to disconnect unless the domestic subscriber either pays the bill or reaches an agreement with the utility regarding payment of the bill;
(c) The date upon which service will be disconnected if the domestic subscriber does not take appropriate action;
(d) The name, address and telephone number of the utility’s employee or department to whom the domestic subscriber may address an inquiry or complaint;
(e) The domestic subscriber’s right, prior to the disconnection date, to request a conference regarding any dispute over such proposed disconnection;
(f) A statement that the utility may not disconnect service pending the conclusion of the conference;
(g) A statement to the effect that disconnection shall be postponed or prevented upon presentation of a duly licensed physician’s, physician assistant’s or advanced practice registered nurse’s certificate, which shall certify that a domestic subscriber or resident within such subscriber’s household has an existing illness or handicap which would cause such subscriber or resident to suffer an immediate and serious health hazard by the disconnection of the utility’s service to that household. Such certificate shall be filed with the utility within five days of receiving notice under this section, excluding holidays and weekends, and will prevent the disconnection of the utility’s service for a period of at least 30 days from such filing. Only one postponement of disconnection shall be required under this division for each incidence of nonpayment of any past-due account;
(h) The cost that will be borne by the domestic subscriber for restoration of service;
(i) A statement that the domestic subscriber may arrange with the utility for an installment payment plan;
(j) A statement to the effect that those domestic subscribers who are welfare recipients may qualify for assistance in payment of their utility bill and that they should contact their caseworker in that regard; and
(k) Any additional information not inconsistent with this section which has received prior approval from the City Council or Board of Public Works, in the case of a city utility, or the board of directors or administrative board of any other utility.
(2) A public or private utility company, other than a municipal utility owned and operated by a village, shall make the service termination information required under divisions (E)(1)(d), (E)(1)(e), (E)(1)(f), (E)(1)(g), (E)(1)(i), (E)(1)(j) and (E)(1)(k) readily accessible to the public on the website of the utility company and available by mail upon request.
(Neb. RS 70-1606)
(Ord. 368, passed 1-27-1981; Ord. 437, passed 2-12-1985; Ord. 520, passed 10-9-1990; Ord. 897, passed 10-1-2021)
Statutory reference:
Similar provisions, see Neb. RS 17-542, 70-1605 and 70-1606