§ 51.14 WATER FOR USE OF CUSTOMERS ONLY.

   It shall be unlawful for any customer to permit any person, except the members of his or her family or employees living on the premises as a part of the household or visitors in the home to remove water from the premises for any purpose except in case of fire or other emergency. Any person unlawfully receiving or using water shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and if it is shown that the unlawful use has been made with the knowledge and consent of the customer, the customer shall be deemed equally guilty.

(1995 Code, § 5-14)  Penalty, see § 10.99

§ 51.15 INJURY TO PROPERTY AND FIXTURES.

   It shall be unlawful for any person to injure, deface or destroy any property of the city water system, including the pipes, standpipes, valves, boxes, fire hydrants, fountains, service boxes, service valves or service connections or any other fixtures, or in any way to contaminate the city water supply.

(1995 Code, § 5-15)  Penalty, see § 10.99

§ 51.16 TAMPERING WITH METERS.

   It shall be unlawful for any person, after the water has been turned off for failure to pay the water bill, to turn the water on at the meter or to bypass the meter or in any manner to obtain water at no cost.

(1995 Code, § 5-16)  Penalty, see § 10.99

§ 51.17 CONTINUITY OF SERVICE.

   The city will not be liable for any damages that may result to any customer from the shutting off of water service for any cause whatever, even in cases where no motive is given, and no deduction from bills will be made in consequence thereof.

(1995 Code, § 5-17)

§ 51.18 WATER RATES AND CHARGES.

   The rates and charges for water service shall be established by the City Council, shall be due and payable monthly, and shall be collected in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. A copy of the current rates and charges shall be kept on file at all times in the office of the Clerk.

(1995 Code, § 5-18)

§ 51.19 WATER DEPOSITS.

   Each customer applying for water service shall make a cash deposit in an amount fixed by the City Council. If after 12 full months of service the customer has paid all current charges in a timely manner, the deposit shall be credited to the customer’s account.

(1995 Code, § 5-19)

§ 51.20 METER READING; BILLING; COLLECTING.

   (A)   Meters will be read and bills rendered monthly, but the city may vary dates or length of period covered, temporarily or permanently, if necessary or desirable.

   (B)   Bill for water service will be figured in accordance with the rate schedule then in effect and will be based on the amount consumed for the period covered by the meter readings, but the amount payable for each month’s service shall not be less than the minimum charge prescribed in the schedule of rates.

   (C)   Charges for service commence when the meter is installed and connection is made, whether used or not.

   (D)   Bills for water service are due when rendered and are delinquent after 15 days. In the event the bill for water service is not paid in 15 days after it was rendered, a penalty in an amount fixed by the City Council shall be added and shall be paid by the customer.

   (E)   Readings from different meters will not be combined for billing, irrespective of the fact that such meters may be for the same or different premises, or for the same or different customers, or for the same or different services.

   (F)   Delinquent notices will be mailed to the customer 20 days after the first billing, and if not paid within ten days after date of the second mailing, water service may be discontinued.

   (G)   Failure to receive bills mailed or notices shall not prevent the bills from becoming delinquent nor relieve the customer from payment.

(1995 Code, § 5-20)  Penalty, see § 10.99