(A) Pursuant to the provisions of W. Va. Code 16-13-16, the rates and charges for the use of and service rendered by the municipal sewage system shall be paid by or on behalf of the owner of each and every lot, parcel of real estate or building connected with, served by or using such sewage system, and the amount of all such rates or charges, if not paid when due, shall be a lien upon the premises served by such system, and if the bill for such rates or charges is not paid within 30 days after due it shall be deemed delinquent and the amount thereof shall be recovered by the Sanitary Board in a civil action in the name of the city, together with a penalty of 10% and the lien procured in connection with any such action shall be foreclosed in due course against the lot, parcel of land or building charged with the amount due; provided, that if the water bills are in the name of a party other than the owner of the lot, parcel of real estate or building connected with, served by or using the municipal sewage system, and consequently, the bill for sewer service rates or charges shall be directed to such party, then in the event any such bill shall not be paid within the allotted time and shall become delinquent, the Sanitary Board shall mail such delinquent bill to the owner of such lot, parcel of real estate or building at the last known address of such owner, together with a notice that such owner is the party charged by law with the liability for the payment thereof, and if such bill is not paid within 30 days after such mailing, the amount thereof shall be recovered by the Sanitary Board together with the penalty aforesaid, as in the case of other delinquent bills and the lien procured in connection with any such action shall be foreclosed in due course against the lot, parcel of land or building charged with the amount due.
(B) In the event of failure to pay the sewer service charge or surcharge after they become delinquent, the Sanitary Board may be authorized to remove or close the sewer connection and shall have the right to enter upon the property of the user of the service for such purpose and to take such steps as may be necessary to accomplish such removal or closing, and the cost of such removal or closing, as well as the expense of restoring any such service shall likewise be a debt due the city, and may be recovered by the city by civil action in the name of the city, and such sewage service shall not again be turned on, nor the sewer connection restored until all service charges, including the expense of removal, closing and restoration shall have been paid.
(C) Change of ownership or occupancy of premises found delinquent shall not be cause for reducing or eliminating these penalties.
(Prior Code, § 915.17)