A. Rate Setting; Promulgation Of Rules: The rates, penalty fee for delinquency in payment, connection fee, reservoir fee, inspection fee and other charges incidental to connection and services from the city water system shall be fixed from time to time by the city council. The city council may from time to time promulgate rules for levying, billing, guaranteeing and collecting charges for water services and all other rules necessary for the management and control of the water system. Rates for services furnished shall be uniform with respect to each class or classes of service established or that may hereafter be established.
B. Special Rates: The city council may from time to time fix by agreement, ordinance or resolution special rates and conditions for users using exceptionally large amounts of water service or making use of the water system under exceptional circumstances, upon such terms and conditions as they may deem proper.
C. Use Without Payment Prohibited: It shall be unlawful for any person, by himself, family, servants or agents, to utilize the city water system without paying therefor, as herein provided or, without authority, to open any fire hydrant, stopcock, valve or other fixture attached to the system of water supply unless it is done pursuant to proper application, agreement or resolution. It shall be unlawful to injure, deface or impair any part or appurtenance of the water system, or to cast anything into any reservoir or tank belonging to the water system.
D. Billings; Delinquency; Discontinuance Of Service:
1. The city shall furnish to each user, or mail to, or leave at his place of residence or usual place of business, a written or printed statement stating thereon the amount of water service charges assessed against him once each month, or at such other regular interval as the city council shall direct.
2. The statement shall specify the amount of the bill for the water service and the place of payment and date due. If any person fails to pay the water charges within thirty (30) days of the date due, the city shall give the customer notice in writing of intent to discontinue the service to the customer unless the customer pays the bill in full within five (5) days from the date of notice.
3. If the water service is thereafter discontinued for failure to make payment, then before the water service to the premises shall again be provided, all delinquent water charges must have been paid to the city treasurer or arrangements made for their payment in a manner satisfactory to the city. In the event water is turned off for nonpayment of water charges, then before the water service to the premises shall again be provided, the customer shall pay, in addition to all delinquent water charges, such extra charge for turning the water on and off as the city council may have established. Furthermore, in addition to such payments and penalties, a delinquent customer may be required to make and file a new application and deposit if the previous deposit has theretofore been applied to the payment of delinquent bills. The utility clerk is hereby authorized and empowered to enforce the payment of all delinquent water charges by an action at law in the name of the city. (Ord. 2012.03, 4-12-2012, eff. 4-12-2012; amd. 2014 Code; Ord. 2023.01, 1-4-2023)