§ 51.03 BILLING PROCEDURE AND COLLECTION OF WATER RENTS AND CHARGES.
   (A)   All charges for the consumption of water and use of sewer, as fixed by the measurement of the water meter, shall be billed monthly by the city. Each bill shall be due and payable on or before the tenth of the month when billed at the office of the City Clerk. If the date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday or other day that the City Clerk's office is closed, the due date shall be extended to the next business day. When a bill is not paid by the due date, a delinquent notice will be sent. This will give the customer ten days to pay the delinquent amount or service disconnection procedures will begin. All bills and fees must be paid in full at no time will a water customer be permitted to carry a water balance.
   (B)   Unless otherwise specified, bills will be rendered to the tenant only, but the property owner will be notified if a bill for water charges is delinquent.
   (C)   Where more than one occupant or tenant is served through one meter, the property owner will be held directly responsible for the payment of all bills pertaining to the use of water.
   (D)   All water and sewer charges and service charges shall be payable at the office of the City Clerk. Customer must present bill with payment. The Clerk shall be charged with the duty of receiving and collecting all water and sewer charges and service charges and accounting therefor in the manner prescribed by law and this chapter. The Clerk shall establish and maintain such ledgers, books, records and all accounting systems as may be required by reason of such collecting. When any account is delinquent and within the rules established by the Director of Public Safety and Service, water service should be terminated and the same shall be immediately certified by the Clerk to the Director. Whenever requested by the Director, the Clerk shall report the conduct of their office relating to the collection of water rents and service charges. The Clerk's office staff may not alter bills or fees on their own authority.
   (E)   In the event the charges for utility service (water service, sewage service and garbage service) are not paid within 30 days after rendition of the bill for such service, then such charges shall be deemed and are hereby declared to be delinquent. Such a delinquency shall constitute a lien upon the real estate for which such service is provided, and the City Auditor shall be and is hereby authorized and directed to file sworn statements showing such delinquencies in the office of the County Auditor. The filing of such statements shall be deemed notice of the lien.
   (F)   For any customer with a closed account with a delinquent balance, the city shall transfer the balance to an open account of the customer after delivery of ten-day notice by mail to the customer to pay the closed account balance.
(2003 Code, §§ 51.04, 51.07) (Ord. 4160, passed 1-17-2013; Ord. 2016-142, passed 1-5-2017; Ord. 2020- 23, passed 6-4-2020)