(A) The Department of Water is authorized to enforce the payment of charges for water service to any premises by discontinuing water service to the premises, and the payment of charges for sewage disposal service to any premises may be enforced by discontinuing either the water service or the sewage disposal service to the premises, or both, and an action may be instituted by the city against the customer. The charges for water service and sewage disposal service are made a lien pursuant to statute on the premises to which furnished. The Superintendent of the Water Department shall certify all unpaid charges for the service furnished to any premises which have remained unpaid for a period of 60 days to the City Assessor, who shall place the same on the next tax roll of the city. These charges so assessed shall be collected in the same manner as general city taxes. In cases where the city is properly notified pursuant to statute that a tenant is responsible for water or sewer disposal service charges, no such service shall be commenced or continued on the premises until there has been deposited with the Water Department a sum to be set by the City Commission by resolution. Where the water service to any premises is turned off to enforce the payment of water service charges or sewage disposal service charges, the water service shall not be recommenced until all delinquent charges have been paid and a deposit as in the case of tenants is made, including a water turn-on charge to be set by the City Commission by resolution. In any other case where, in the discretion of the Superintendent, the collection of charges for water or sewage disposal may be difficult or uncertain, the Superintendent may require a similar deposit. The deposits may be applied against any delinquent water or sewage disposal service charges, and the application thereof shall not affect the right of the Water Department to turn off the water service and/or sewer service to any premises for any delinquency thereby satisfied. No deposit shall bear interest and the deposit, or any remaining balance thereof, shall be returned to the customer making the same when he or she shall discontinue receiving water and sewage disposal service.
(B) This section, as amended, is effective April 20, 2010.
(1993 Code, § 53.08) (Ord. 2008-03, passed 4-7-2008; Ord. 2010-02, passed 4-5-2010)