(A) Temporary interruption of service fee (disconnect/reconnect). If a customer or property owner requests a temporary interruption of service, a fee of $50 per meter shall be paid in advance. The fee shall cover one disconnect and subsequent reconnection.
(B) Billing. Utility service shall be billed to the party contracting for the service.
(1) All municipal utilities shall be billed monthly or quarterly and a utilities statement or statements shall be mailed by the city to each consumer.
(2) Statements for total water, sewer and electric charges for the preceding billing period shall be mailed by the city to each customer no later than three days after the beginning of the next billing period.
(3) The amount listed on the statement shall be due on or before the fifteenth day of the billing period. All utilities charges shall be delinquent if they are unpaid at the close of business on the thirtieth day following such billing, provided, that if the thirtieth day shall fall on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the time shall be extended to the close of business on the next succeeding day on which business is normally transacted. A penalty in the amount of 10% of the delinquent amount shall be added to all delinquent charges. If service is suspended due to delinquency it shall not be restored at that location until any disconnect charges have been paid for each utility and all amounts owed for service and penalties have been paid.
(C) Meter deposits. At the time of filing an application for utility service, any applicant who does not have a 12-month history of payment for utility service with the city is required to pay a meter deposit.
(1) The meter deposit shall be established annually per the administrative fines and fees ordinance.
(2) The deposit shall be refunded after 12 consecutive months of prompt payment or upon prior termination of service with all bills paid.
(3) Deposits shall bear an interest rate that will be adjusted annually in accordance with the Department of Commerce from the date of deposit to the date of refund.
(D) Interest payable.
(1) The rate of interest payable by the city on its security deposits will be simple interest as established annually by the Department of Commerce from the date of deposit or January 1, 1975, whichever is later or as otherwise specified from time to time by appropriate state law.
(2) Payment of interest to the customer may be made at the time the deposit is returned.
(3) The deposit shall cease to draw interest when any of the following occur:
(a) The deposit is returned;
(b) The customer’s account becomes delinquent;
(c) Notice is sent to the customer’s last known address that the deposit is no longer required; or
(d) Service is disconnected.
(E) Refund of deposits. The deposit plus interest, if any, is to be refunded under any of the following conditions:
(1) Upon customer’s request after 12 consecutive months of the customer’s bill being paid on time;
(2) After the customer has paid the final bill upon termination of service; or
(3) If the service is discontinued and there are charges due the city for service to the customer, the cash deposit plus interest will be applied to the charges, and the remaining balance of the deposit plus interest, if any, will be returned to the customer together with a statement of charges, credits and balance. If there is a balance due or credit of less than $1, no refund or billing shall be made.
(F) Shut-off for non-payment.
(1) (a) The city shall endeavor to collect delinquent accounts promptly. In any case where satisfactory arrangements for payment have not been made, the St. Charles Utility Department may discontinue service to the delinquent customer after the procedural requirements of division (F)(2) below and, if applicable, the Winter Disconnect Rule, have been satisfied.
(b) When service to any premises has been discontinued, service shall not be restored except upon payment of all delinquent amounts due or the establishment of a satisfactory payment arrangement plus a fee for disconnection and reconnection as established annually by the administrative fines and fees ordinance.
(2) (a) Service shall not be shut off under division (F)(1) above until a mailed and a delivered notice have been given to the customer.
(b) The final delivered notice shall state that if payment is not made by a certain date, the service to the premises will be shut off.
(c) The final notice shall clearly inform the customer of the amount of the past due bill, the options available to the customer and shall identify the telephone number, address and officer who will handle the customer’s complaint.
(G) Collection with taxes.
(1) Delinquent water, sewer and electric charges shall be certified to the City Administrator who shall prepare an assessment roll each year providing for assessment of the delinquent amounts against the respective properties served.
(2) The assessment roll shall be delivered to the City Council for adoption bi-annually during the first regular meeting of July and October of each year.
(3) Upon adoption, the Deputy Clerk shall certify the assessment roll to the County Auditor for collection with taxes.
(1987 Code, § 301.06) (Am. Ord. 524, passed 4-14-2009; Am. Ord. 539, passed 10-12-2010; Am. Ord. 550, passed 11-22-2011; Am. Ord. 639, passed 6-28-2022)