§ 50.42 RECONNECT FEES FOR WATER AND SEWAGE SERVICE, WATER METER DEPOSIT; LEAK AND FREEZING ALLOWANCE.
   (A)   (1)   There is hereby set a new rate of $25 for connection to water works and sewage works after a customer has been disconnected. This fee shall be collected by the Town Clerk-Treasurer upon reconnection of service and remitted one-half to the water works and one-half to the sewage works.
      (2)   The meter deposit for water works service is increased to the sum of $100 per meter for property owners and rental properties per meter residential five-eights inch or larger, $150 per commercial usage, one inch or larger.
      (3)   Each customer of the water works shall be entitled to one leak allowance per year to be computed by deducting 2,500 gallons from the amount of water used for the month in which the allowance is to be used, dividing the remainder by two and adding back the 2,500 gallons and then computing the amount due in the usual manner.
      (4)   For the leaving water running during the winter months to avoid freezing lines, a customer shall be charged for the first 1,000 gallons used over the gallons used as averaged for the three months prior to the month running begins, in addition to the averaged amount, then each customer shall receive 10,000 gallons running to avoid freezing allowance, and thereafter be charged at the regular rates.
   (B)   (1)   Tenants of premises to which service is to be provided are required to make a water meter deposit upon request of service. Finalizing an account can be handled in two ways:
         (a)   When account is closed, the deposit will be applied toward any utility and/or trash bill owed and a refund check will be mailed to the customer for the remaining deposit. The Clerk-Treasurer’s office must have on a file a signed release form allowing the application of deposit to any remaining charges; or
         (b)   When the account is closed, the customer pays the complete charge (water, sewage and trash). Upon full payment of charges owing, the depositor will be issued by mail the full deposit.
      (2)   A deposit or remaining portion of deposit that has remained unclaimed after one year after the termination of the services for which the deposit has been made becomes property of the municipality and will be receipted in the Water Operating Fund.
      (3)   All renters or leasers of property requesting water services must pay a water meter deposit. A water meter deposit may be waived only upon request of the owner of the property and upon receipt of the property owner’s written request. The Clerk-Treasurer’s office may require a customer to provide proof of ownership of property.
      (4)   If a tenant, occupant or other non-owner is billed, the owner shall be liable for the user charge if payment is not made by the tenant, occupant or other non owner when the charge is due as required per this division (B).
      (5)   Any check issued in payment to the municipal water utility for any reason and returned to the municipal water utility for reason of insufficient funds shall be charged to the customer at a rate of $25 per incident.
   (C)   Sprinkler credit.
      (1)   In order that residential users of sewage services shall not be penalized for the sprinkling of lawns, gardens and the filling of pools during the months of June, July and August, the billing for sewage service for residences users for said months of June, July and August shall be based on the average water usage for the previous months of March, April and May.
      (2)   This credit is only available upon a residential user's request by calling the Town of Monon Utilities Office.
      (3)   Residential users claiming more than one month of credit must call in each month of June, July and August.
      (4)   Residential users claiming a credit in June or July or August will be charged based upon the lesser amount of the actual water used in the month of claimed credit or the average water usage for the months of March, April and May.
      (5)   Residential sewage service, as applicable to the sprinkling rate, shall apply to each lot, parcel of real estate, or building which is occupied and used as a residence. Said sprinkling rate shall not apply to any premises which are partially or wholly used for non-residential purposes. In the event a portion of such premises shall be used for non-residential purposes, the owner shall have the privilege of separating the water so that the residential portion of the premises is served through a separate meter, and in such case, the water usage as registered by the water meter serving such portion of the premises used for residential purposes would qualify under the sprinkling rate.
      (6)   A user of sewage services shall not be eligible for the foregoing sprinkler credit if that user was (voluntarily or involuntarily) disconnected from water for any portion of the previous months of March, April and May.
(1998 Code, § 17-6) (Ord. passed 10-18-2005; Ord. 01-2008, passed 5-6-2008; Ord. 17-6.1, passed 7-19-2011; Ord. 05-2014, passed 6-3-2014)