(a) WATER COST TO CONSUMERS.
Charges for water used will be based on the meter consumption at the rates legally adopted by the legislative authority of the Village. Rates are established by Council and are published as the Water Department Rate Schedule. A copy of the Water Department Rate Schedule is available from the Village Clerk’s office.
(b) READING WATER METERS.
The frequency for reading of meters will be set by the Village Administrator or his authorized representative based upon economic feasibility and other considerations. Meters will normally be read on or about the 15th day of each month throughout the service area. As a minimum, readings will be read bi-monthly. In cases where no meter reading is obtained, or in the case of an inoperative meter, or three separate unsuccessful attempts to read a meter have been made, the Village reserves the right to estimate and bill for the water consumed on the basis of records preceding comparable periodic consumption. Industrial consumers will be read monthly at the discretion of the Village Administrator or his authorized representative.
(c) BILLING OF METERED WATER.
Bills for metered water will be rendered on or about the first day of the month following that in which the reading is taken.
(d) WHEN METERED WATER BILLS BECOME DELINQUENT.
Bills not paid by the 15th day of the billing month become delinquent and will be subject to a penalty charge as prescribed in the current Water Department Rate Schedule. Thereafter, the water may be shut off in accordance with subsections (h) and (i).
(e) CHARGES FOR WATER ARE A LIEN AGAINST PROPERTY.
All charges for water are assessed against the property to which the service is rendered, and are a lien against such property, collectible in the same manner as other taxes and assessments. Administrative costs for said lien are to be borne by the property owner. It shall be the duty of persons purchasing property to ascertain if there are any unpaid water bills standing against the property. Until such charges are paid, water service may be refused.
(f) OWNER MAY HAVE TENANT PAY WATER BILL.
If the owner of any premises elects to have his tenant or lessee pay the water charges as they accrue, such tenant or lessee does so as the agent of the owner and such owner shall not thereby be relieved from the payment of any delinquencies that might occur. A deposit as identified in the Water Department Rate Schedule shall be made by tenant before service is rendered. Said deposit will be held by the Village until water service for the tenant is terminated or for a period of not less than twenty-four (24) months of delinquent free billing, at which time the deposit will be refunded to the tenant upon approval of the Village Administrator or his authorized representative. When the water bill is in the tenant’s name and the bill is current, the Water Department is prohibited from shutting off the water service to help an owner evict a tenant or help the owner collect rent.
(g) BILLS TO BE DELIVERED TO CONSUMER.
(1) The Village will undertake to deliver bills for water by depositing same with the United States Postal Service only as a matter of convenience to the owner or consumer. Failure to receive bills shall not relieve any person of their obligation to pay such bills. Any change of billing must be ordered by the property owner or agent for the owner. A fee as established in the Water Department Rate Schedule will be assessed any time a service address is changed into a new name requiring an existing meter to be read. (Ord. 97-20. Passed 6-3-97.)
(2) In addition to the Village undertaking the delivery of bills for water accounts by the United States Postal Service, the Village shall also provide water consumers with the ability to establish and manage their accounts online and the option to bill pay through the online account.
(Ord. 2019-15. Passed 8-6-19.)
(h) DELINQUENT ACCOUNT DEFINED; WATER MAY BE REFUSED
DELINQUENT ACCOUNT.
An account is delinquent if payment is not received at the billing clerk’s office by the 16th day of the month the bill was mailed. Accounts delinquent more than 10 days will result in a water shut- off. Water will not be turned on until arrangements are made with the Water Department Clerk to pay all delinquencies. Under no circumstances will partial payment of a delinquent bill equaling less than 50% of the outstanding balance be accepted in restoring service. Any account balance overdue in excess of 150% of the average preceding three months must be paid in full to restore or maintain service. An “on-off” charge as prescribed in the current Water Department Rate Schedule will be charged to restore service to any delinquent account. Any account being delinquent more than three billing periods in any twelve month cycle will result in immediate shut- off for any subsequent delinquencies. (Ord. 07-21. Passed 8-7-07.)
(i) NOTICE REQUIRED BEFORE SHUTOFF.
(1) A delinquency notice shall be mailed by regular mail to the person who is named on the Water Department billing records to receive the bill. If the bill is mailed to an address other than the address of the property served, a copy shall also be mailed by regular mail to the property address addressed to “Occupants”.
(2) A property owner who does not regularly receive the monthly water bill, or who is responsible for paying the bill, will receive a copy of the delinquency notice providing said property owner furnishes the Village Administrator or his authorized representative with a current address. No attempt will be made to effect delivery of returned mailings.
(3) Service may be discontinued ten (10) days after the delinquency notice is mailed as required in subsection (i)(1).
(4) The delinquency notice shall include the following statement:
DELINQUENT NOTICE Our records indicate that your service account is in arrears in the amount shown on this notice. If you do not make arrangements to pay the delinquent amount by contacting the Village Clerk’s Office within ten (10) days of the date this notice was mailed, your water service will be shut off. In addition to the delinquency penalty being herein assessed you will incur a non-refundable “on- off” charge as prescribed in the current Water Department Rate Schedule if it is necessary to shut- off your water service. |
(Ord. 97-20 . Passed 6-3-97.)
(5) Water shutoff variance. If a resident is in violation of Codified Ordinance Section 913.03
paragraph (i) subsection (1), (2) and (3) and one or more of the following conditions are in effect, which include extreme weather conditions or declared local, state or national emergencies, the Water Department Superintendent and/or the Village Administrator or their authorized representative shall have the authority to waive shutting off water services to any delinquent account. All other fees associated with the account shall be in effect.
(Ord. 2020-15. Passed 4-14-20.)
(j) NO ALLOWANCE FOR LEAKAGE.
If a continuous leak is detected by our system, the consumer will be notified within three (3) business days by the Village. If the consumer finds a leak, they must immediately notify the Village. The consumer will be responsible for all water used or lost as a result of leaks after the water passes through the meter installed at a single family dwelling. If the system that detects and records continuous water leaks should fail at any time for any reason, the Village shall not provide an allowance for leakage. Once the system is restored and performing to capacity, the Village shall have three (3) working days from the date the system is operationally restored to inform the resident of a single family dwelling of a leak.
However, if the Village fails to notify the resident(s) at a single family dwelling within three (3) business days, the resident(s) will only be responsible for the first three (3) days of the water loss due to a leak. The Village shall adjust any billing related to water loss or usage as a result of a leak after the third (3rd) business day has passed. Such billing adjustments do not apply to multi-residential properties or industrial/commercial properties. Also excluded from billing adjustments are leaks resulting from water that is being used to keep pipes from freezing during the winter months.
Water/Sewer billing may be adjusted as prescribed in Water/Sewer Department Regulations. All water/sewer billing adjustments shall be subject to approval of the Village Administrator or his authorized representative and the Water and Waste Water Director who shall review the evidence of water lost resulting from the leak. In the event of a disagreement between the Village Administrator and the Water and Waste Water Director, the matter shall be determined by the legislative body at its next regular meeting. (Ord. 2019-28. Passed 10-15-19.)
(k) UNREPAIRED LEAKS.
Where a consumer has been notified of leaks and repair is not made within seven (7) days, service may be shut off without further notice. Where a consumer has been notified of leaks during times of “Emergency Water Restrictions” and repairs are not made with three (3) working days, service may be shut off without further notice.
(l) VACATION POLICY.
Consumers leaving on extended vacations may have their water shut off and restarted at a cost reflected in the Water Department Rate Schedule. Water consumption/usage charges shall be temporarily suspended if service is shut off. No other special or reduced rates shall apply to “vacation status” customers. (Ord. 97-20. Passed 6-3-97.)
(m) FILLING SWIMMING POOLS.
Swimming pools will not be filled through a fire hydrant. Swimming pools may be filled through consumer's own service line using a garden hose. In certain cases sewer charges may be waived for the initial seasonal filling of a swimming pool, provided the limitations and procedures approved by Council on September 2, 2014, concerning the size of the pool, required notice to the Village and the metering of fill water are followed. Council reserves the right to amend or modify the limitations and procedures from time to time as deemed necessary.
(Ord. 2015-19. Passed 5-2-15.)
(n) ADJUSTMENT FOR WINTER USAGE.
No adjustment shall be made in any water bill as a result of a consumer electing to allow water to drip during freezing weather to prevent the freezing of service. Special exception may be granted on an individual basis by the Village Administrator or his authorized representative if recommended by the Water Superintendent.
(Ord. 97-20. Passed 6-3-97.)
(o) BILLING ADJUSTMENTS.
Any billing adjustments resulting from mis-reads or clerical errors as may arise shall be presented to the Water Department Superintendent and Village Administrator or his authorized representative for approval. In the event that the water is not shut off due to extreme weather conditions or declared local, state or national emergencies, the shut off fees shall be waived with the Water Department Superintendent and/or Village Administrator or their authorized representative approval. All other fees associated with the account shall still be enforced.
(Ord. 2020-15. Passed 4-14-20.)
(p) PRO-RATED BILLING ADJUSTMENTS.
New service and final billings will be made by the Water Department Clerk on a pro-rated basis as prescribed in the Water Department Rate Schedule. Pro-rated billing adjustments do not require approval of the Village Administrator or his authorized representative.
(Ord. 97-20. Passed 6-3-97.)