(a) Unpaid Utility Bills. Any utility bill not paid on or before the due date shall be assessed a five percent (5%) penalty. If the bill remains unpaid thirty (30) days from the due date, a late charge of five percent (5%) shall be added for each month or portion of a month that the amount due remains outstanding. For any bill outstanding for more than thirty (30) days after the due date, a disconnection notice shall be sent to the customer indicating that the utility service may be disconnected, without further notice, until the outstanding amount is paid in full.
(b) Denial of Service; Disconnection/Reconnection Fee. As of March 1, 2024, water service and or sanitary service may be denied to any lot, parcel, or property and existing service may be disconnected for indebtedness until any delinquent utility billing amounts are paid in full. This division shall apply regardless of whether there has been a change in ownership or possession of the lot, parcel or property or, for commercial and industrial tenants, a change in the name under which the account is carried. In addition, the customer shall pay a disconnection/reconnection fee, as set forth in the City's Fee Schedule, Appendix A
to the City Government Code, prior to the restoration of service.
(c) Transfer of Accounts. No utility account shall be transferred into another person's name, nor transferred to a different service address, when there are delinquent amounts outstanding on said account. Such delinquent amounts shall be paid in full before the Accounts Receivable & Billing Division shall make any requested transfer.
(d) Penalties and Late Fees. All collected penalties and late fees shall be receipted by the Finance Director into the Water Fund, the Sewer Fund, the Stormwater Fund, and/or the Sanitation Fund, based on the pro rata portion of unpaid water utility, sanitary sewer utility, stormwater management utility, and solid waste and sanitation fees or surcharges upon which the penalties and/or late fees were levied.
(e) Multiple Disconnections. At any lot, parcel or property where there have been three (3) or more disconnections pursuant to division (b) hereof in a rolling twelve (12) month period, when the utility billing account has been and remains in the name of the same customer, the City shall install an automatic disconnection service valve that will allow the customer's service to be remotely disconnected in the case of further delinquencies. The cost of the valve, any necessary accessory equipment or materials, monthly service fees, and the cost of installation shall be billed to the customer at the amount set forth in the City's Fee Schedule, Appendix A
to the City Government Code. In addition, the Finance Director may require a deposit, as set forth in the Utility Billing Rules and Regulations, before reconnection for any customer whose utility billing account has been disconnected twice or more in a rolling twelve-month period.
(1964 Code § 911.05; Ord. 84-35. Adopted 07/12/84; Ord. 92-17. Adopted 03/12/92; Ord. 93-40. Adopted 07/22/93; Ord. 06-12. Adopted 01/26/06; Ord. 06-86. Adopted 12/28/06; Ord. 07-65. Adopted 12/27/07; Ord. 08-52. Adopted 08/14/08; Ord. 09-04. Adopted 02/12/09; Ord. 2021-04. Adopted 02/11/21; Ord. 2022-44. Adopted 11/22/22; Ord. 2023-38. Adopted 12/28/23; Em. Ord. 2024-01. Adopted 02/08/24; Ord. 2024-02. Adopted 02/22/24)