(A) Notice. When the delinquent portion of utility bills are not paid by the eighteenth of the following month, the city shall discontinue water service to such delinquent customers without any further notice. In case service is discontinued for delinquency, it shall not be restored until the delinquency is paid in addition to a fee which shall be set by resolution for discontinuing and restoring service. After payment in full has been received by the city, the service shall be restored within 24 hours excluding weekends and holidays. A service charge of 1.5% will be added to the unpaid balance at the end of each month.
(B) Failure to pay. In the event that a delinquent customer fails to pay his or her bill within the time set forth above, the city may discontinue city water service and enter upon the property for accomplishing such purposes. In cases where the property is occupied by a tenant, and the tenant moves out, the account must be paid in full before the city will restore and/or transfer water service for the property. This holds the tenant and homeowner equally responsible for the outstanding account.
(C) Disputing bill. Any customer disputing the correctness of his or her bill shall have a right to a hearing, at which time he or she may be represented in person and by counsel or any other person of his or her choosing, and may present orally or in writing his or her complaint and contentions to the city official in charge of utility billing. This official shall be authorized to order that the customer’s service not be discontinued and shall have the authority to make a final determination of the customer’s complaint.
(D) Hearing and disconnection parameters. Requests for delays or waivers of payment will not be entertained; only questions of proper and correct billing will be considered. In the absence of payment of the bill rendered or resort to the hearing procedure provided in division (C) above, service will be discontinued at the time specified, but in no event until the charges have been due and unpaid for at least 30 days.
(Prior Code, § 8-1-21) (Ord. 92-549, passed 3-18-1992; Ord. 13-787, passed 2-28-2013; Ord. 15-797, passed 2-26-2015)