(A) Owners. Any individual, partnership, association, business, or corporation owning real property or improvements thereon in the town and desirous of service from the town’s water utility, hereinafter customer, owner, or depositor, shall make application and pay a meter deposit of $25 to the Clerk-Treasurer prior to service being furnished.
(B) Renters. Any individual, partnership, association, business, or corporation renting real property or improvements thereon in the town and desirous of service from the town’s water utility, hereinafter customer, renter, or depositor, shall make application and pay a meter deposit of $50 to the Clerk-Treasurer prior to service being furnished. The renter’s meter deposit shall be in addition to the owner’s meter deposit, as set forth in division (A) above.
(C) Purchasers on installment real estate contract. Any individual, partnership, association, business, or corporation which purchases real estate or improvements thereon in the town pursuant to a contract sale and desirous of service from the town’s water utility, hereinafter customer, purchaser, or depositor, shall make application and pay a meter deposit of $50 to the Clerk-Treasurer prior to service being furnished. Upon receipt of the purchaser’s deposit, the owner’s deposit required herein of the seller shall be refunded to the owner. Upon proof of performance of the contract by presentation of a deed, the purchaser’s deposit will be refunded to purchaser and an owner’s meter deposit will be required to be made.
(D) Reimbursement. Meter deposits shall be held by the utility in the customer’s name(s) until such time as service to the customer is discontinued either by the customer or the utility. Upon discontinuance of service, the town shall apply all or any part of the customer’s meter deposit to payment of any outstanding water charges, including any delinquencies, with the renter’s or purchaser’s meter deposit being first applied to the payment of water charges followed by the owner’s meter deposit. The remaining balance of meter deposit shall be refunded to the depositor. The depositor shall be responsible for providing the town with a proper forwarding address. Transfer of a meter deposit may only be made by the depositor properly completing transfer forms provided by the Clerk-Treasurer, and may be made only if the old deposit is equal to the currently required deposit.
(E) Proof of interest in the property. The town shall have the right to request proof of the customer’s interest in the property served by the water utility by presentation of a copy of deed, contract, lease, or agreement, and to request that the meter deposit be made and held in the customer’s name. In the event that the depositor dies or moves from subject property, the town shall have the right to request either a transfer of deposit or a new meter deposit from any customer who remains thereon.
(Ord. 1998-17, passed 1-19-1999)