(A) At the time the plumbing of a lot first is connected to a service connection, the property owner shall open an account with the city for payment of monthly service charges, including payment of required security deposits and fee in accordance with § 50.08(B) for opening the account. The property shall be added to the applicable monthly billing cycle and, effective with the next scheduled billing date for that cycle, the property owner shall begin receiving bills for monthly service charges, in amounts as established in §§ 50.31 through 50.59. Specified minimum monthly charges shall be due and payable, and billed to the customer of record, for each and every month thereafter, without regard to whether the water service has been shut off for any reason.
(B) Effective October 1, 2021, deposits and other fees required for the use of city water and sewer facilities shall be as set forth in the document Customer Service Fee Schedule, prepared by the Utility Department and approved by the City Manager, for the purposes of recovering city costs. The deposits and fees will be annually adjusted each October 1, and effective that same date for the subsequent year, using the change in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers in the United States – Water and Sewerage Maintenance Series published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the 12 months ending April of each year or 3% or actual costs, whichever is greater, effective annually as of October 1. It is the city's intent to recover its actual costs and adjust the fees accordingly. Therefore, adjustments due to changes in city costs may be issued by the City Manager on an as-needed basis. Upon approval by the City Manager, the Customer Service Fee Schedule, and any amendments or adjustments thereto, shall be reported to the City Commission and absent objection will take effect on the dates provided in the schedule.
(C) The original property owner shall remain as the customer of record until the account is closed and the security deposit has been applied to the final bill. The account will not be closed until the department is notified that ownership of the property has changed, sold or otherwise transferred.
(D) Each time that a new utility account is opened, either upon addition of a new service connection or upon changing the customer of record for an existing service connection, the new customer shall pay a fee in accordance with § 50.08(B) to defray the administrative costs involved.
(E) Each bill for water and sewer monthly service charges, plus any other water and sewer charges which are due, shall be due and payable when rendered. If the city has not received payment in full within 20 days after the date of mailing of a utility bill, that bill shall be deemed delinquent. The monthly bill immediately following a delinquent bill shall have a penalty fee added to it. The penalty fee shall be equal to 10% of the total of all previous water and sewer billings which had not been received by the city.
(F) If a customer believes that a billed monthly service charge is incorrect, he must submit a written protest to the Utility Department within 20 days of the date of the bill. Any bill not protested within 20 days shall be presumed to be correct as billed, without further recourse. Without regard to whether protested or not, all bills are due and payable as received. All timely protests will be reviewed by the city. If the protest is determined to be valid, the excess amount paid will be credited against future billings.
(G) Utility services are billed monthly. If a customer does not pay delinquent balances within 60 days of the past-due date, service will be discontinued and additional charges incurred.
(Ord. 641, passed 12-15-82; Am. Ord. 720, passed 1-2-85; Am. Ord. 728, passed 3-6-85; Am. Ord. 1156, passed 5-1-96; Am. Ord. 1397, passed 2-20-02; Am. Ord. 1754, passed 6-19-13; Am. Ord. 1978, passed 11-17-21)