(B) A turn-off charge to be established by resolution of the City Commission shall be made in all instances where the city disconnects service to a customer, except where a customer's water is shut off for nonpayment of a delinquent account pursuant to § 51.142.
(C) If a new customer turns on his or her own service without applying for service pursuant to § 51.030, the act of turning on the service without properly applying for same shall be a violation of this Code, and the city shall (i) disconnect the service, without notice to the customer, immediately upon learning that the service has been turned on without an application for service, (ii) charge the customer a disconnection fee to be established by resolution of the City Commission, and (iii) assess the customer an administrative fee to be established by resolution of the City Commission plus the cost of any damage to city property.
(D) If a new or established customer turns on or off his or her own service at the curb stop without city assistance for any reason, the city shall assess the customer an administrative fee to be established by resolution of the City Commission plus the cost of any damage to city property.
(E) If a new or established Customer turns on his or her own service at the curb stop without City assistance because his or her service is disconnected for nonpayment of his or her bill, because his or her service is disconnected for failure to apply for service pursuant to § 51.030, or because the City discontinued service because of leaks or wasted water pursuant to § 51.039, the act of turning on the service without City assistance shall be a violation of this Chapter, and the City shall assess the Customer fees, charges plus an administrative fee as established by resolution of the City Commission. In addition, disconnection fees, service fees and costs of damages to City property shall be established by resolution of the City Commission and the fees will be established for the following:
(1) For the first offense, the Customer shall be assessed a disconnection fee to be established by resolution of the City Commission plus an administrative fee to be established by resolution of the City Commission, and the cost of any damage to City property. In addition, a broken lock fee for the cost of a broken or missing lock or strap if such device(s) were originally utilized to discontinue service shall be assessed and such fee shall be established by resolution of the City Commission.
(2) For each additional offense, the Customer will be assessed the cost of any damage to City property, a service fee to be established by resolution of the City Commission to cover the City's cost of disabling waterflow by means such as plugging or removing the meter or disconnecting service from the water main, and an additional service fee to be established by resolution of the City Commission to cover the cost of restoring service back to the Customer by means such as unplugging or re-installing the meter.
(3) Additionally, in the case of a Customer who has unlawfully restored his or her service where the City identified leaks and waste of water pursuant to § 51.039, the Customer shall be responsible for payment of the charges for all wasted water resulting from the unlawful connection.
(4) Until the fees and charges specified herein are paid, as well as any past due balances on the utility account, service shall not be restored to the Customer.
(F) In all cases where a customer has turned on or turned off their own service at the curb stop, the city will charge the customer the cost of any damage to the meter itself including replacing or repairing any damaged meter parts, including the curb stop, meter box, meter seal or coupling.
(G) Any customer or individual who unlawfully taps into the city's water supply system by installing a bypass or by any other means shall be subject to any penalty prescribed in § 51.999 herein, and a service charge to be established by resolution of the City Commission for removing the bypass or other tapping mechanism. Additionally, the city shall estimate usage and charges for the unmetered water unlawfully used and the customer or individual shall be responsible for payment of said billing.
(H) The city shall immediately disconnect any hose or other device found connected to an adjacent property owner's water supply or to any other water source that is supplying a customer whose water service has been disconnected due to nonpayment, leaks or wasteful use of water, and said customer shall be subject to any penalty prescribed in § 51.999 herein and shall be charged the cost of any damage to city property. Said adjacent property owner, if found to have facilitated the illegal hook up, shall additionally be subject to discontinuation of service for unlawfully supplying water and shall be responsible for payment of any damage to city property.
(Ord. O-2005-04, passed 5-4-05; Am. Ord. O-2014-15, passed 7-16- 14; Am. Ord. O-2019-18, passed 9-18-19)