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8-1-7: NONPAYMENT OF BILLS; PROCEDURE:
   A.   Notice Of Delinquency; Discontinuance Of Service:
      1.   In the event the charges for water service are not paid within fifteen (15) days after the rendition of the bill, then such service charges shall be deemed and are hereby declared to be delinquent. If the delinquency and payment of the water charges continues for a period of more than fifteen (15) days, the water service may be discontinued; provided, however, that prior to such shutoff, a written notice shall be mailed or delivered to the persons liable for such bill, notifying them of their right to request an administrative hearing before the Village President or his designee within ten (10) days of the date of the notice, and at the hearing, present their objections to such actions. The water shall not be shut off until the hearing has been held and the Village President or his designee has made a decision on the basis of the evidence presented at the hearing.
      2.   When the water service has been discontinued by reason of a bill remaining unpaid for thirty (30) days after it is rendered, connection for restoring use of the water system shall not be made except upon compliance with the provision of this section, including payment of the fee required in subsection C of this section.
      3.   In addition, a lien claim may be filed with the Recorder of Deeds at the Ogle County Courthouse, Oregon, Illinois, by the Village Clerk for any bill for water service which remains unpaid for thirty (30) days after it has been rendered by the Village Clerk. The lien shall contain the legal description of the premises served, the amount of the unpaid bill and a notice that the Village claims a lien for this amount as well as for all charges for water services subsequent to the period covered by the bill. Notice of the lien shall be mailed to the owner of such premises as shown on the real estate tax records of the Assessor's Office at the Ogle County Courthouse, Oregon, Illinois.
   B.   Foreclosure Of Lien: Property subject to a lien for unpaid water charges shall be sold for nonpayment of the same, and the proceeds of such sale shall be applied to pay the charges, after deducting costs, as in the case of the foreclosure of statutory liens.
   C.   Restoring Of Service; Fee: There shall be a one hundred dollar ($100.00) fee to restore the water service, which such restoration of water service will take place only during normal weekday daytime shifts.
   D.   In accordance with 765 ILCS 735/1.4, the Village shall not terminate water service to a tenant upon a request from the landlord. (1979 Code § 7-4-6; amd. 2017 Code; amd. Ord. 07-02-19, 7-23-2019)
8-1-8: ADMINISTRATION OF WATER FUND:
   A.   It is hereby made the duty of the Village Clerk to render bills each monthly period for the users of water and other charges in connection therewith and the Clerk shall collect all monies due therefor.
   B.   All revenues and monies derived from the operation of the water system of the Village shall be held by the Village Clerk separate and apart from his private funds and separate and apart from all other funds that may come into his hands as Village Clerk, and all of such sums, without any deduction whatsoever, shall be delivered to the Village Treasurer not more than ten (10) days after receipt of the same or at such more frequent intervals as may from time to time be ordered and directed by the President and Board of Trustees.
   C.   The Village Treasurer shall receive all of such revenue from the water system and all other funds and monies incident to the operation of said system as the same may be delivered to him by the Village Clerk as provided in this section, and shall deposit the same in a separate bank account, and the same shall be accounted for as a separate fund which shall be designated as "Water Fund of the Village of Mt. Morris", and the Village Treasurer shall administer such fund in every respect in the manner and form provided by the provisions of the statutes of the State.
   D.   The Village Treasurer shall establish a proper system of accounts and shall keep proper books, records and accounts separate from all other books, records and accounts which he may be required to keep as such Village Treasurer, which such books, records and accounts shall show complete and correct entries of all transactions to the water system of the Village; and at regular intervals, the Village Treasurer shall cause to be made an audit by a recognized public auditor of such books, records and accounts which show the receipts and disbursements of the water system. (1979 Code § 7-4-7)
8-1-9: WATER METERS:
   A.   Meters Required; Faulty Meters; Care Of Meters:
      1.   All premises using water from the Village water supply must be supplied by an adequate meter conforming with specifications required by the Village, such meter to be furnished by and at the expense of the property owner; provided, that the Village may, but is not obligated to, supply water service on a temporary basis at a flat rate of charge until such meter is installed; and provided further, that in the event that a consumer's meter shall fail to register properly, such consumer shall be billed and charged and shall pay for water during the time such meter is out of order on the basis of the consumption during the same monthly period of the preceding year, unless no such basis of comparison exists, in which case the consumer shall be charged and shall pay such amount as reasonably may be determined by the Village.
      2.   Owners of meters must protect them from theft, freezing, hot water, breakage or other damage; it shall be the user's or owner's duty to immediately notify the Village when a meter is out of repair or fails to register. All defective meters shall be repaired and the cost of such repair shall be paid by the property owner or water user. No person, unless authorized by the Village, shall connect, disconnect, repair or otherwise disturb any water meter.
   B.   Installation: Water meters shall be installed in a location which is ready of access and acceptability to the Village. All meters shall be with outside reading.
   C.   Reading Meters: The Village Clerk shall read or cause to be read every water meter used in the Village on a monthly basis so that bills for water service may be issued monthly. In any monthly period in which there is no actual reading of the meters, an estimated billing may be issued based upon actual water usage as read on the water meters during previous readings. Any adjustments would then be made on the next billing based upon an actual meter reading. The Village or its authorized agents or employees shall have free and ready access to the premises and the buildings wherein meters are located for the purpose of reading, examining, testing and repairing said meters. (1979 Code § 7-4-8)
8-1-10: SERVICE PIPES AND CONNECTIONS:
   A.   Installation: All service pipes, corporation cocks, curb stops and fittings from the Village water main to the premises to be served shall be installed by and at the cost of the owner of the property to be served or the applicant for service. Such installation shall be made under the supervision of the Village.
   B.   Pipes: All water service pipes from the water main to the water meter shall be not less than three-fourths inch (3/4") in size. Pipe materials shall be either copper or plastic conforming to the specifications adopted by the President and Board of Trustees and on file in the Office of the Village Clerk. All fittings and connections shall also comply with these specifications. All service pipes shall be buried at least four and one-half feet (41/2') deep in the ground, and may be in the same trench as sewer pipes if placed on a shelf at least eighteen inches (18") above such sewer pipes.
   C.   Repairs, Discontinuance Of Water Service: All repairs on water service pipes from the Village mains to the plumbing system of any building shall be at the expense of the owner of the premises served. In the event that a break occurs in any service pipe from the Village water main, resulting in the leakage of unmetered water from the Village supply system, the owner of the property served by the defective pipe shall have the pipe repaired at the property owner's expense. Such repair shall be initiated by the property owner within twenty four (24) hours after the leak is discovered and completed as soon as possible thereafter. Upon discovery of the leak, the Village shall shut off such service pipe at the shutoff box or disconnect it at the water main. Water shall not again be withdrawn from the Village water system through such service pipe until repairs satisfactory to the Village have been made at the property owner's expense and further that the property owner has complied with all provisions of this chapter relating to deposits, payment of bills and other applicable sections.
   D.   Emergency Repairs: The Village may, in case of emergency, repair or order the repair of any service pipe, and if it does so, the cost of such repair work shall be repaid to the Village by the owner of the premises served, which cost shall be treated and collected in the same manner and with the same remedies as for collection of charges for water used.
   E.   Excavations: Excavations for installation of water service pipes or repair thereof shall be made in compliance with the provisions of this Code relating to excavations in streets, and any other Village ordinances relating to such excavations.
   F.   Shutoff Boxes: Shutoff or service boxes shall be placed on every service pipe to each water user, and shall be located between the curb line and the sidewalk where practicable. Such boxes shall be so located that they are easily accessible, and shall be protected from frost.
   G.   Abandoned Water Service Pipes: No water service pipe shall be abandoned until notice of intent to abandon a water service pipe has been given in writing to the Village. Water service pipes which are to be abandoned shall be disconnected at the Village main within twenty four (24) hours after such pipe has been permanently disconnected from the plumbing supply system of any building. The work shall be done under the supervision of the Village and shall conform to all specifications provided in this Code. All costs of such work shall be paid by the property owner, including, but not limited to, returning the surface above said pipe to its original condition. The owner of any building damaged by fire, decay or any cause to the extent the building is torn down either voluntarily or pursuant to notice issued by the Board of Trustees shall be required upon written notice from the Board of Trustees to disconnect and cap the water service pipe consistent with the requirement set forth above.
   H.   Metered Water Dedicated Exclusively To Lawn Sprinkler Systems: A customer within the Village with an existing water meter may apply for an additional water meter and hookup for a water line dedicated exclusively to a lawn sprinkler system. The existing hookup fees and water rates shall apply. The Village may waive the water deposit. The customer shall notify the Village of any change in the use of the additional meter and line. The Village shall have the right to periodically inspect the additional meter and line. (1979 Code § 7-4-9)
8-1-11: RESALE OF WATER PROHIBITED:
Water shall not be resold or distributed by the recipient thereof from the Village supply to any premises other than that for which application has been made and the water meter therefor installed, except in case of emergency, nor shall the right to use water from the Village supply be sold by any person. (1979 Code § 7-4-10)
8-1-12: METER TAMPERING; STEALING WATER:
It is hereby declared to be unlawful for any person to tamper with any water meter or by means of any contrivance or device to divert the water from the service pipe so that the same will not pass through the meter or while passing through the meter cause the same to register inaccurately. If any water meter is found to have been tampered with, the water rent shall be estimated for the rental period and the meter shall be repaired and tested. Upon repetition of the offense, it will be optional with the Village to discontinue the water service or to collect the amount estimated to be due. (1979 Code § 7-4-11)
8-1-13: INTERRUPTION OF SERVICE; VILLAGE NOT LIABLE:
The Village shall not in any manner be liable for any damage caused by the shutting off of the supply of water of any consumer while the system or any part thereof is undergoing repairs, or caused by the freezing of the main or the breaking of any pipe or service cock, or by a shortage of water due to accident or when necessary for extension or improvements of mains, valves or hydrants, or other circumstances over which the Village has no control. (1979 Code § 7-4-12)
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