(a) Bills shall be rendered monthly, and town meters shall be read at least once each month and upon termination of service, but the town reserves the right to vary the dates or lengths of the periods covered, or to temporarily or permanently change them if necessary or desirable.
(b) Charge for service commences when the meter is installed and/or connection is made to the "System," whether the service is used or not, specifically, this shall apply to all units, residential or commercial, whether they are occupied or vacant, and all such service shall require no less than the minimum payment for each month.
(c) Readings from different meters will not be combined for billing, irrespective of the fact that such meters may be for the same or different premises, or for the same or different owner/customer, or for the same or different services.
(d) Bills are due when rendered and become delinquent if not paid before the next month's bill is issued. A penalty of ten (10) percent per billing period will be added to delinquent amounts due.
(e) Customers will be advised if their bill is delinquent, through notification on their bill, separate mailing, or telephone notification, and, if the delinquent amount and applicable penalties are not paid within ten (10) days of the issuance of the notice, service may be discontinued.
(f) Failure to receive bills or notices shall not prevent such bills from becoming delinquent, nor relieve the owner/customer from payment.
(g) Service for residential and commercial units which are normally rented and for which tenants have made deposits and paid water bills shall, if they become vacant and unoccupied, be the responsibility of the property owner. Billing shall be made to such owner for each full month's vacancy at the minimum meter rate for that service, unless usage dictates otherwise. Failure of an owner to pay such bills shall result in suspension of service until all accounts due are paid in full.
(h) Charges for water and sewer are stated separately on all bills. All charges for sewer service, regardless of occupancy, tenants or number of meters servicing the premises shall be the legal obligation of the owner. (G.S. 160A-314(d)(2))
(i) Pursuant to the provisions of G.S. 160A-314(b) all payments received upon bills rendered for water, sewer and sanitation/trash upon a monthly basis shall be applied to the customer's account as follows: First to fees for sanitation/trash; second to fees for sewer; and third to fees for water. All unpaid balances shall be collected as provided in this chapter for collection and/or disconnection.
(Ord. No. 1992-1, 1-7-92; Ord. No. 1993-5, § 2, 2-2-93; Ord. No. 2001-2, §§ 1, 3, 1-8-01; Ord. No. 2021-09, 5-4-21)