(A) (1) When any tenant of any premises makes application for water to be furnished to such premises, he or she shall be required to make a deposit as hereinafter set out to guarantee the payment of water rent.
(2) If at the expiration of the time limited by this chapter for the payment of rent for any two-month period the tenant has failed to pay his or her water rent due for such period, such portion of the deposit as may be necessary shall be applied to the payment of the water rent. Thereupon, the water shall be cut off from such premises and shall not be turned on again until the balance of such deposit is increased to the original amount thereof.
(3) When such tenant has the water finally cut off, he or she shall, upon payment of all water rent due, be entitled to the return of his or her deposit, or any balance thereof; provided, that if such tenant vacates the premises without notifying the City Manager and having the water cut off, he or she shall forfeit any balance of such deposit remaining after the water rent due has been deducted therefrom. The amount of such required deposits shall be as set by the City Council from time to time.
(B) (1) The making of the deposit required by this section shall not operate to relieve any premises of liability for the payment of any water bill incurred thereon by any tenant of such premises.
(2) Every landlord renting or leasing premises to tenants required by this section to make such deposit shall immediately notify the Water Department upon the vacation of the rented or leased premises by the tenant.
(Code 2019, § 19-9) (Code 1961, § 18-26) (Ord. passed 6-8-1970)