(A) Customers will be billed for services on a monthly basis. Meters will be read by utility personnel on or about the 29th day of each month and shall include the prior month's usage of water. Bills for water service will be mailed to customers on or about the 12th day of the month following reading of the meter. Payment for water service is due and payable on or before the 29th day of the month following issuance of the bill.
(B) Any utility charges remaining unpaid after the 29th day of the month following issuance of the bill shall be considered delinquent and shall be assessed delinquency charges equal to an additional 10% of the first $3 of unpaid water charges, plus 3% of the unpaid balance of the bill, excluding any prior delinquent charges and taxes. An additional reconnection charge of $50 shall be assessed if water service is reconnected after the utility's disconnection from service due to delinquent bills. All water charges, including past due and the current month's charges and including any delinquent charges and any reconnection fee, shall be paid prior to service being reconnected.
(C) In the event of a failure of any meter, the town will bill water usage based on the average of billings for the immediately preceding six months prior to the failure.
(D) In the event of a leak in the customer's water service line which does not enter the sewer system, the town will adjust the sewer charge for one month's billing based on an average six months' billing.
(E) The Clerk/Treasurer is authorized to proceed and collect any past due water utility bills, including delinquencies through legal process, including filing suit in Ripley County Small Claims Court.
(F) In the case of rental property both te renter and the property owner shall be responsible for any unpaid water utility bills.
(Ord. 8-13-96-3, passed 8-13-1996; Ord. 7-13-2015-1, passed 9-14-2015)
Cross-reference:
Bad debt policies and procedures, see § 32.06