(a) Customers wishing to terminate their water/sewer service contract may do so by notifying the Billing Office in person or by phone at least one business day in advance. Customers wishing to terminate water service fire contracts must do so in writing. When the Department of Utilities is notified that the customer wishes to terminate the service, a work order will be prepared to secure a reading from the master meter which will be used to prepare a final bill, stating thereon all the charges required to be paid by the customer. Customers having a master meter inside their properties must provide access to such for the final reading. If access is denied, the water service will be terminated until access is arranged.
If the customer fails to be home on the pre-arranged day, a thirty-five dollar ($35.00) service charge [seventeen dollars and fifty cents ($17.50) to Water Funds; seventeen dollars and fifty cents ($17.50) to Water Pollution Control Funds] will be added to the billing for a return trip by the Meter Reader. On the same day, if an after-hour call is made, the charge will be one hundred dollars ($100.00) [fifty dollars ($50.00) to Water Funds; fifty dollars ($50.00) to Water Pollution Control Funds].
(b) Change of Account Read. A new occupant can change the account into his name in person or by notarized card sent from the Utilities Department.
If a new occupant fails to notify the Department of Utilities of the change of account, he will be fined thirty dollars ($30.00) [fifteen dollars ($15.00) to Water Funds; fifteen dollars ($15.00) to Water Pollution Control Funds] for failure to do so. When the work order requesting a read from the meter is not secured, the Water Service Representative will leave a notice stating that he was not able to secure the read and water was discontinued. If a second trip has to be made on the same day, a fifty dollar ($50.00) turn on charge [twenty-five dollars ($25.00) to Water Funds; twenty-five dollars ($25.00) to Water Pollution Control Funds] will be incurred and collected. If not, a reinstatement of service can be scheduled with one day's notice. A work order will be held for the duration of history on screen to allow time for the individual to request the water be turned back on, at which time the reading will be indicated on the work order and processed as usual. If request for a turn on is not received before closing for the month, the order will be sent back, etc.
(c) Turn Offs. Requests will be made either by phone or by the individual personally. Listed on the work order will be the telephone caller's name, the date called, the date the service is being requested, and whether a.m. or p.m. The Meter Reader will make the call for the turn off at the date requested and if the premises is not open so the meter can be read or removed, he will leave a card saying "the service was turned off-please call office to reschedule." If, on the second day, he does not gain entrance and read the meter so a final bill can be processed, the water will be turned off, or left off until such time as a read from the meter can be obtained, the work order processed, and the customer billed for a missing meter. If later entrance is provided and the meter is removed and bill for the missing meter is canceled, the final bill will be processed and in addition, the customer will be charged thirty-five dollars ($35.00) [seventeen dollars and fifty cents ($17.50) to Water Funds; seventeen dollars and fifty cents ($17.50) to Water Pollution Control Funds] for the extra service.
(d) New Meter Settings - New Construction. When a contractor fails to notify the Department of Utilities for an appointment to set meter prior to occupancy in a home, building or new construction, said party shall be fined thirty dollars ($30.00) [fifteen dollars ($15.00) to Water Funds; fifteen dollars ($15.00) to Water Pollution Control Funds] and be charged double the estimated water consumption from date of occupancy. If the amount is not collected from the contractor, the contractor is liable for payment of said charges.
If the Water Service Representative is not able to gain entrance, he will leave. If, on the second try, he cannot gain entrance, the water will be turned off and a notice left that the water is off and that a new request for service must be made. When this request is received by the Department of Utilities, a positive appointment will be made. If, during this period the wiring for remote meters is found to be incorrect, the deficiencies will be noted and the customer informed. If these are not corrected, the water will be turned off. In either case, the customer will be charged thirty-five dollars ($35.00) [seventeen dollars and fifty cents ($17.50) to Water Funds; seventeen dollars and fifty cents ($17.50) to Water Pollution Control Funds] for a turn on when the third call is made.
(Ord. 47-05. Passed 3-21-05.)