A. Meter Readings:
1. Meters will be read and customers billed on the basis of the meter reading.
2. The city will keep an accurate record on its books of all readings of meters and such account, for all purposes, shall be prima facie evidence of the use of water service by the customer.
B. Rendering Of Bills:
1. Billing Period: All meters shall be read and bills rendered monthly. (Ord. 487, 6-10-1991; amd. 1995 Code)
2. Billing For Less Than A Full Billing Period: Bills for other than normal billing periods, opening or closing bills or bills for any other reason which cover a period less than a full billing period will be prorated to the nearest week. (Ord. 492-92, 3-9-1992)
3. Bills For More Than One Meter: All meters supplying a customer's premises shall be billed separately except where the city has, for operating purposes, installed two (2) or more meters in place of one, the reading may be combined for billing.
C. Disputed Bills: When a customer disputes the correctness of a bill, he shall deposit the amount of the disputed bill at the time the complaint is lodged to preclude discontinuance of service pending final settlement of the bill or bills. Subsequent bills shall be paid or placed on deposit in a similar manner. Failure of the customer to make such a deposit shall warrant discontinuance of service as provided under subsection F of this section.
D. Failure To Read Meters: In the event it shall be impossible or impractical to read a meter on the regular reading date, the water consumption shall be prorated on the basis of thirty (30) days per month and the total water consumption for billing purposes for that period shall be estimated. (Ord. 487, 6-10-1991; amd. 1995 Code)
E. Payment Of Bills: Each bill rendered shall contain the final date on which payment is due. If the bill is not paid by that date, the account shall be considered delinquent, unless other arrangements have been made with the water department in writing that specifies another due date. A delinquent account shall be charged a flat fee at a rate which shall be set by resolution of the city council and shall accrue on the first day of the delinquency. (Ord. 571-13, 7-8-2013)
F. Delinquent Account:
1. Due Date: Accounts are delinquent if not paid by the fifteenth (15) day of the month.
2. Delinquent Notice: On the sixteenth day the account becomes past due and a late fee will be assessed on unpaid accounts. The City will mail a delinquent notice to accounts that are thirty (30) days past due. Five (5) calendar days later the City will post a notice at the premises stating the water service will be discontinued following five (5) calendar days if the past due amount is not paid in full; a notification fee will be added to the account. Service may be terminated immediately following the tenth (10) day of mailing of the delinquent notice, or five (5) days after posting of the notice of discontinue of service.
3. Service Turn Off: On the turn off date, the water service technician or other agent of the City of Heppner shall deliver or post notice to the customer stating the water service is being turned off until all delinquent amounts have been paid. The water service technician or other authorized agent of the City shall immediately thereafter turn off the service. A delivery or posting of the notice to the premises served by the water service technician shall be considered delivery to the customer. A charge for turning off the service, as set by resolution of the City Council, shall be added to the account.
G. Relief When Unit Is Unrentable And Conditions:
1. Rate Relief: Upon property application and approval by the City, a multi-family dwelling that is unrentable for a period in excess of thirty (30) days because it is being remodeled or repaired may be granted rate relief as is provided in this section. During the period the dwelling unit is unrentable, the customer who is the owner of the unit will not pay the basic water and sewer utility service rate. The charges will be prorated for the length of time the unit is unrentable. If the property has multiple residential dwelling units served by one (1) meter, the City will calculate the charge reduction for the out of service unit.
2. Conditions: The applicant shall agree to comply with all ordinances and sanitary regulations of the City. Additionally, the applicant shall grant permission to any duly appointed agent of the City to inspect the unrentable site during the period of repair or remodel without further notification or permission. The applicant shall not use any water or sewer service during the period of the remodel or repair at the unrentable site.
3. Civil Penalty: Any violation of this section shall be assessed as a Class B infraction pursuant to section 1-4-1 of this Code. Any misrepresentation regarding the condition or rentability of a dwelling unit by the application is a violation of this section and shall be assessed a Class B infraction. Additionally, any violation of this section or any other City ordinance or regulation shall result in the immediate revocation of the applicant's rate relief permit and ineligibility for any future utility rate relief. (Ord. 532-2002, 2-11-2002; amd. Ord. 578-16, 9-12-2016; Ord. 584-19, 8-12-2019)