(a) The owners of real estate premises installing, receiving or maintaining water/sewage or sanitation (utility) service shall be liable for all such utility charges incurred for service at said premises.
(b) The Department of Utility Account Services will directly bill a tenant for utility service upon application for service by the tenant in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Department, unless the property owner or authorized agent of the property owner signs a written authorization requesting joint direct billing of the property owner and the tenant for the utility services provided to the tenant(s). In the event that the property owner is delinquent with reference to any utility charges, the tenant shall have the right to establish an account in the tenant’s name, provided that there will be no utility service established for any tenant until all delinquent water/sewer/sanitation charges owed by the tenant for any previous utility service are paid in full.
(c) Establishing a utility service account with, and direct billing of, any customer, shall not be construed to relieve the owner of the real estate premises of liability for utility charges, whether or not the owner signs the written agreement described in subsection (b) hereof.
(d) Each water/sewer/sanitation charge under or pursuant to Chapters 927, 933 and 941, Codified Ordinances, is assessed against the property to which the service is rendered, and is hereby made a lien upon the corresponding lot, parcel of land, building or premises actually served by a connection to the water/sewer/system of the City, and/or actually served by sanitation services; and if the same, or any part thereof, is not paid within forty-five (45) days after it becomes due and payable, it shall be certified to the Auditor of Scioto County, Ohio, at which time the lien shall vest; the certified amount shall be placed on the Scioto County real property tax list and duplicate for the property so serviced, with penalties and interest, and be collected as other taxes and liens. A penalty of ten percent (10%) on the amount that is due and payable shall be added to the certified amount. The City shall provide the property owner with a written notice of the impending certification at least thirty (30) days prior to the certification. For any procedure not specified in this section, the provisions of Ohio R.C. 743.04 shall be followed.
(e) The Department of Utility Account Services may also collect unpaid water/sewer/sanitation charges by actions at law, in the name of the City, from an owner, tenant, or other person who is liable to pay the charges. For collection purposes and after a 30-day written notice, the Department of Utility Account Services is authorized to transfer the unpaid balance of the water/sewer/sanitation accounts to any active account of the owner of the real estate serviced by a connection to the water/sewer system of the City and/or actually served by sanitation services.
(f) All utility service customers, by contracting for or maintaining water/sewer/sanitation service from the City, are deemed to assent to all rules and regulations of the Department of Utility Account Services and ordinances of the City pertaining to water/sewer/sanitation service.
(Ord. 2016-38. Passed 6-13-16.)
and Post Construction Storm Water Control.