(a) All residences will be visited monthly by City employees for the purpose of reading water meters. Commercial establishments may have their meters read on a monthly basis by special arrangement. At residences where meters are not accessible to the City employees, and the residents are apparently not home, a notification will be left for the residents to read their own meters and either mail or telephone the reading to the City offices within five working days. When no response is received within the appointed time, the reading will be estimated at the highest monthly usage during the preceding four quarters. Any adjustment as a result of overestimating will be made on subsequent monthly billings.
(b) Bills for water service and sewage disposal service shall be due and payable on the date specified on the bill. There shall be added to all bills not paid by the fifth day of the month, after the bill is sent, a penalty of ten percent of the amount of the bill, plus interest of one percent per month until the bill is either paid or placed on the tax roll of the City. The Superintendent shall have charge of the reading of all meters. The City shall keep a record of all meter readings and shall maintain accounts of the charges for water and sewer service furnished to all premises and shall render bills for the same. All water and sewer charges shall be collected under the direction of the City Treasurer, who shall have the same credited to the proper accounts. Such billings shall be payable at the City office. All meter readings shall be initialed by the person taking the reading.