[R.O. 1992 § 700.010; Ord. No. 6702 § 1, 6-19-1989; Ord. No. 01-9070 § 1, 10-1-2001; Ord. No. 10-10672 § 1, 2-16-2010; Ord. No. 21-13264, 3-1-2021]
A. 
The following Rules and Regulations shall govern and be enforced by the Board of Public Works against all persons using water furnished by the City water system:
1. 
All persons desiring to take water from the City shall make applications at its office, signing a register setting forth all purposes for which water may be used upon their premises, that they may be assessed according to the established rate.
2. 
The meter style shall be approved by the Water Department prior to installation. All meters shall be purchased initially by the consumer. After installation of all meters which are one (1) inch in size or smaller will be kept in repair by the City of Washington. However, the customer can be held responsible for damages to the meter resulting from negligence of persons using or occupying the premises. Under no circumstances shall the City be held liable for damage of property as a result of any defect, or damage to a meter from rupture due to freezing.
3. 
The City reserves the right to make taps, or give authorization that taps be made by qualified individuals. No taps or connections may be made by outside individuals without prior approval of the Board of Public Works or its agent.
4. 
Meters may be tested or repaired from time to time by representatives of the City Water Department. Said test or repairs shall be at the expense of the City.
5. 
The City reserves the right at any time, to shut off the water in their mains, for the purpose of making repairs or extensions, or for other purposes; and persons having boilers within their premises, not supplied by other sources, are hereby cautioned against collapse. Risk of damage in such case is hereby assumed by the consumer.
6. 
Water is to be used for normal purposes only, and where the use of hose is needed, the converting of same into fountains by the aid of frames, sticks or by any other than human support is strictly prohibited, except in case of lawn sprinkling which sprays the water through small crevices.
7. 
No owner, tenant or other person in charge of any premises provided with water connection shall negligently or willfully permit or commit any waste of water by leakage, useless or careless discharge or flow to prevent freezing of pipes or other fixtures; nor shall any person without first obtaining from the City a flat rate therefor and payment of such rate in advance, make use of any hose connection with the water system for sprinkling streets.
8. 
The City reserves the right to shut off the supply of water from any consumer at any time when, and so long as, the service pipe through which such consumer may be supplied or any meter or other part of such pipe may be out of order for the proper supply of water through same.
9. 
The Superintendent shall have the right and it shall be his/her duty to inspect meters and all other fixtures and appliances for the use of water whenever deemed necessary by him/her or the City for the purpose of regulating such use, keeping an accurate account thereof and preventing waste, leakage, or other violations of the rules and regulations; and for such purpose it shall be the duty of the water consumers to allow the Superintendent access to their valves and meters at reasonable times and intervals; and for refusal to allow such access, upon order of the City, the water supply may be cut off and withheld from any person so refusing.
10. 
When in any case the supply of water is for any fault of a consumer being shut off under the provisions of any of the rules, regulations, laws or ordinances of the City, the City shall charge a reconnection fee of seventy five dollars ($75.00) to be paid with other damages, if any, before turning the water on. Requests for turning on water received after 4:30 P.M. Monday through Friday, inclusive, will not be processed until the next business day.
11. 
The City demands that any break in a service pipe, from the curb box to the meter, be promptly repaired at the expense of the consumer.
12. 
A "premises connected to the City water system" is defined to include each separate unit within a multiple-unit facility. Where any combination of more than one (1) business and/or residence is located within a single building, each separate business or residence shall be defined as a separate unit; provided, however, that the home occupations, as defined in Section 400.045 of this Code, shall not be regarded as separate occupancies or units. Each such unit so defined shall be separately billed and shall pay for water on a separate basis, whether the water is metered through one (1) meter for two (2) or more units, or through separate meters for each such unit within a multiple-unit facility.
[R.O. 1992 § 700.020; Ord. No. 6702 § 1, 6-19-1989; Ord. No. 7230, 6-15-1992; Ord. No. 13-11217 § 1, 11-18-2013; Ord. No. 20-13062, 2-18-2020; Ord. No. 21-13265, 3-1-2021; Ord. No. 21-13278, 3-15-2021; Ord. No. 23-13785, 6-5-2023]
No person shall install any water service pipe connecting with the water mains of the City at any points in the streets of the City from such water mains to the building served, unless such water service pipe is made or constructed in genuine Type K copper of one (1) continuous length or piece of copper pipe without intermediate couplings, from the tap in the water main to the shutoff box. The water service from the shutoff box to the water meter shall be constructed of a continuous piece of genuine Type K copper or high-density PVC pipe. The curb valve is to be located directly across from the tap in the water main and at right angles to the City water main at the place of the tap. In the event of damage to the water service pipe due to cutting, stretching, or weakening in any manner, the same shall be replaced by a new genuine K copper pipe in like manner of one (1) continuous piece from the tap to the shutoff box and by new Type K copper or high-density PVC pipe from the shutoff box to the water meter, unless otherwise authorized by the Water Department. All joints and connections for K copper or high-density PVC service lines shall be compression-type only. No galvanized fittings are permitted at any point in the service line. At no time will solder joints be permitted on any underground service line. All high-density PVC pipe must contain tracing wire for the entire length of the pipe, and the tracing wire must be brought up to ground level of the curb box top. All high-density PVC pipe connections must have reinforcement tubes inserted into the pipe at the connection. The curb valve shall be Mueller inverted Minneapolis pattern or its equal. The curb box shall be Mueller Minneapolis pattern with top section one and one-fourth (1 1/4) inches in diameter, or its equal. All pipes shall be laid to a depth of not less than three (3) feet under the ground measured from the established grade of the street or alley. All service pipe shall be not less than three-fourths (3/4) inch at the time of installation. All service lines shall also have installed an approved valve on the inlet side of the meter at the immediate entry into the building or meter pit. Upon completion of installation of service lines, the City shall retain ownership of the service line from the main to the curb valve, including the curb valve, at the customer's property line, and the customer shall retain ownership of the service line from the curb valve to the meter.
[R.O. 1992 § 700.030; Ord. No. 6702 § 1, 6-19-1989; Ord. No. 00-8866 § 2, 8-7-2000]
A. 
Every consumer, before using water from City water mains, excepting the rules and regulations shall install at his/her cost an approved water meter, said meter shall be installed horizontally in the service line, and shall be set at the immediate entry of the building to be served. Where it becomes necessary that a meter be set outside a residence or building, said meter shall be installed in a meter yolk equipped with a shutoff valve on the inlet side. The meter and yolk shall be properly installed within a meter pit. The meter yolk, style and size of the pit shall be approved by the Board of Public Works or its representative, prior to installation.
B. 
In any case, where water is to be used for an underground lawn sprinkling system, a separate meter may be installed for such sprinkling operations, at the expense of the consumer. Water measured through this meter shall be billed as water usage only, and shall not have sewer service charges assessed. Location of sprinkler service meters shall be approved by members of the City Water Department prior to sprinkler system start up. All sprinkler and irrigation systems shall be equipped with an approved backflow device as explained in Section 700.140 of the Code.
C. 
All meters shall be subject to inspection by representatives of the Water Department at reasonable hours. The Water Department reserves the right to test, repair, or replace the meter if necessary. Such test, repair, or replacement shall be at the expense of the City, providing the meter is not larger than two (2) inches.
D. 
Any customer may request a meter test of the meter on their property. The City shall perform such test, if the request is reasonable, by comparing the meter to a calibrated meter or other accurate standards using approved industry methods. If the results of each test show that the meter is accurate within two percent (2%), the customer requesting the test shall pay the City for all expenses incurred in making the test. If the meter is found to register two or more percent (2%+) above or below normal, the City will bear the expense of the tests and the readings of that meter previously taken for billing purposes shall be corrected for the disputed time period, not to exceed ninety (90) days, and the customer's bill shall be adjusted upward or downward according to the percentage of inaccuracy found.
E. 
Charges for performing a meter test shall be the actual cost of labor and equipment, plus appropriate overhead, as incurred by the City of Washington, unless otherwise set by City ordinance.
F. 
The City of Washington encourages customers to use discretion in requesting meter tests in order to avoid unnecessary expenses, because meters - like any mechanical device -become worn with use, which increases friction and results in the meter running slower than normal. It is only in rare cases when a meter will register more than the actual quantity. The City of Washington will advise customers in these matters when requested to do so.
G. 
All meters sized five-eighths (5/8) inch through one (1) inch in need of repair or found to be inaccurate in excess of industry standards will be repaired or replaced at the expense of the City of Washington. All meters in excess of one (1) inch shall be kept in repair by the consumer at his/her expense.
H. 
Water Department personnel shall use their discretion in regards to faulty or old valves when personally replacing a water meter. Under no circumstances shall an employee or the City of Washington be held responsible for repair of leaking pipes, fittings, or valves used in the process of replacing a water meter.
[R.O. 1992 § 700.040; Ord. No. 6702 § 1, 6-19-1989]
The Board of Public Works shall require consumers of water from the municipal water supply to install a separate service connection, and a separate water meter for each building not a part of another building, and to be served by the municipal water system.
[R.O. 1992 § 700.050; Ord. No. 6702 § 1, 6-19-1989; Ord. No. 00-8866 § 3, 8-7-2000; Ord. No. 15-11349 § 1, 1-5-2015]
A. 
Apartment units may be served by one (1) or more meters which will be read and billed. The bill shall be based on the rates set forth in Section 700.180 hereof and shall be sent to the owner of the building.
B. 
Apartment units may also be billed on a single-unit basis to each occupant, providing the building owner installs separate meters and separate shutoff valves for each individual unit. All meters, valves and locations shall meet installation requirements of the Board of Public Works. Easy access to these meters and valves shall be maintained by the property owner for reading and maintenance purposes by the Water Department. All such unit occupants shall pay a service deposit as provided in Section 700.230 of the Code.
C. 
Effective January 1, 2016, the owner of any apartment building without a separate meter and separate shutoff valve for each individual unit, with said meters and shutoff valves easily accessible to the Water Department for reading and maintenance purposes, will have the utility bill for each unit put into the owner's name. Condominium units shall be metered separately as single-family residences, or, in the case of stacked units, they shall be the same as multiple-family units having individual meters and shutoff valves in one (1) location. The individual meters and valves shall be installed in a cluster at immediate entry of the service line to the building. Easy access to these meters and valves shall be maintained by the building association for reading and maintenance purposes by the Water Department.
D. 
In cases where multiple condominium or apartment units are above and below other units, at least one (1) outside faucet must be provided for service to the entire building. This faucet and any other building service outlets shall be supplied by a separate water meter, which shall be installed with the other meters, and shall be read and billed separately to the building association in condominium units or building owner in an apartment building. Under no circumstances shall any general service outlet register on a meter providing service to a private unit customer.
[R.O. 1992 § 700.060; Ord. No. 6702 § 1, 6-19-1989]
No pipe or water main of any kind shall be installed in the streets or alleys of the City or connected with the waterworks system without the written permission of the Board of Public Works or its authorized representatives, and all such work shall be inspected and approved by such representatives of the board before they are permanently installed and put in use.
[R.O. 1992 § 700.070; Ord. No. 6702 § 1, 6-19-1989; Ord. No. 7230, 6-15-1992]
A. 
Water mains shall be ductile iron minimum Class 50 or PVC (polyvinyl chloride) Class 200 psi iron pipe shall be cement lined with bituminous seal coat inside and outside. PVC pipe shall be two-inch through twelve-inch diameter. Pipe shall conform to ASTM Specification D2241 and shall be pressure rated at 200 psi at seventy-three and four tenths degrees Fahrenheit (73.4° F.) with a standard dimension ratio of SDR21 respectively. Net laying lengths must be twenty (20) feet. All jointing types and methods shall be approved by the Board of Public Works prior to installation.
B. 
Water mains shall be installed in such a manner as to have three and one-half (3 1/2) feet of coverage below the established grade of any street, alley, or yard.
C. 
The bottom of the trench is to be cut true and even so that the barrel of the pipe will have a bearing for its full length. The trench is to be of sufficient width to allow backfill to be properly tamped around the bottom half of the pipe.
D. 
Pipe shall not rest on any unyielding structure, nor shall it act as a support for any structure.
E. 
Pipe shall not be poured solid in concrete walls, footings, piers, abutments, or any other immovable object. Where a pipe or main must be installed through a wall or abutment, a sleeve or special wall casting shall be used. At no time shall a water main be installed under the floor of a building or structure. When rock is encountered in excavation, pipe shall be laid on a six-inch bed of material free from stones or clods; where PVC is used, all trench bottoms shall be free of frozen material, clods, or stones, larger than one-half (1/2) inch diameter and shall also be covered with a minimum of six (6) inches of material which shall be approved by the Board of Public Works. When it becomes necessary to construct PVC water main around a curve or bend, the pipe shall not be bent or stressed to a radius of less than one hundred fifty (150) feet. In cases where the curve or bend is less than one hundred fifty (150) foot radius, mechanical joint bends shall be used.
F. 
Thrust block supports shall be constructed behind all bends, tees, caps, plugs, and fire hydrants. They shall bear against undisturbed earth; and in case this is not possible, they shall be made correspondingly larger to allow for the bearing capacity of filled ground. Backfill shall be with such material and in such a manner as will cause the least amount of settlement. This will be determined by the locations and conditions at the time work is being performed.
G. 
Lubrication on pipe fittings and joints shall be water soluble, non-toxic, be unobjectionable in taste and odor imparted to the water, be non-supporting of bacteria growth, and have no deteriorating effect on any rubber gasket.
H. 
All water mains shall be properly sterilized and flushed according to standard practices before mains will be accepted and put into service.
I. 
All water mains shall be properly tested in ductile iron mains; no backfilling will be permitted until pipes are pressure tested. On PVC main, lines should be properly backfilled with all blocking properly in place before they are pressure tested. Under no circumstances shall air be used to develop the test pressure on any PVC main.
J. 
Valves shall be AWWA (American Water Works Association) two-hundred-pound working pressure, bronze mounted, double disc, or resilient wedge, seated type, with two-inch square operating nut - open left. Valve boxes shall be cast iron adjustable screw type, five-and-one-fourth-inch shaft with base cover and skirt.
K. 
Fire hydrants shall be #6629 American Foundry AWWA or approved dry-top, traffic model, with breakaway flange clamp, and breakaway stem, two-piece stand pipe, five-and-one-fourth-inch valve opening, two (2) two-and-one-half-inch hose nozzles, one (1) four-and-one-half-inch steamer nozzle. M.J. (mechanical joint) inlet with ductile iron retainer glands, with set screws. Operating nut and cap nuts shall be seven-eighths-inch square - open left. Hydrant is to be set so as center flange is three (3) to six (6) inches above finished grade of curb or ground line.
L. 
Pipe fittings shall be M.J. ductile, or cast iron, with cement mortar lining with bituminous seal coat inside and out. All fittings shall have a minimum pressure rating of two hundred fifty (250) psi. At no time will PVC fittings be allowed in the construction of a water main.
[R.O. 1992 § 700.080; Ord. No. 6702 § 1, 6-19-1989]
When any person requires the use of City water for building purposes, he/she shall notify a representative of the Board of Public Works to that affect. It shall be the decision of the Superintendent as to how the connections are made, and whether the amount used is estimated, or a meter be installed to record the exact volume over a period of time. If a temporary meter is needed, said meter will be provided by the City Water Department, and shall be installed by the person requesting the service. After such usage is completed, the meter shall be returned and the consumer shall be billed at the current charge for all water consumed.
[R.O. 1992 § 700.090; Ord. No. 6702 § 1, 6-19-1989]
A. 
No person shall connect to a City fire hydrant for purpose of filling a swimming pool, unless he/she shall first have obtained permission to do so from the Board of Public Works or its agent. In requesting such permission, the applicant shall provide the exact location of the pool to be filled and the location of the hydrant to be used.
B. 
In filling such pool, the owner thereof shall follow the procedures outlined by the Board of Public Works. Upon completion of the fill, the owner of the pool shall allow a representative of the Board of Public Works access to the property for the purpose of inspection and the measuring of the pool capacity.
C. 
The amount of water used shall be calculated by the Board of Public Works or its agent and be charged at the rate set in Section 700.190 of this Code.
D. 
The Board of Public Works shall have the exclusive right to grant or deny permission to use a City fire hydrant for the purpose of filling a swimming pool.
[R.O. 1992 § 700.100; Ord. No. 6702 § 1, 6-19-1989]
It is expressly stipulated by and between the City Waterworks and its consumers that no claim shall be made against the City by reason of the bursting of any street mains or the breaking of any service pipe or valve, or for any accidental failure in supply of water.
[R.O. 1992 § 700.110; Ord. No. 6702 § 1, 6-19-1989]
All the owners or occupants of every parcel of land, building, or premises situated within the City and discharging domestic sewage or commercial and industrial wastes into the sanitary sewerage system of the City, and who derive their water in whole or in part from sources independent of the public Water Department of the City, shall register with the Board of Public Works the location of the lot, parcel or land, building, or premises, and all wells or other private sources of water supply which furnish the water consumed thereon. In such registration, the owners or occupants of the lot, parcel of land, building, or premises shall furnish the Board of Public Works with such information as may reasonably be requested by it, including, in the case of wells, the location, size, depth, strata penetrated and stratum from which water is drawn.
[R.O. 1992 § 700.120; Ord. No. 6702 § 1, 6-19-1989]
Within thirty (30) days after notice to do so, and as often as requested by the Superintendent of the Board of Public Works, the owners or occupants of any lots, parcels of land, building, or premises mentioned in Section 700.110, at their own cost, shall have their water tested by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) or its agents or some equally capable person and file such report with the City Water Department and the public in general as to the purity of such water.
[R.O. 1992 § 700.130; Ord. No. 6702 § 1, 6-19-1989]
A. 
To assure that no contamination of the City's water supply will occur, all customers are required to maintain their water service lines on their property in good condition. It is the responsibility of the consumer that no cross-connections occur which may allow private or contaminated water or any other substance to enter the City's distribution system.
1. 
A "cross-connection" is defined as any physical connection between a potable water supply and any waste pipe, soil pipe, sewer drain, chemical tanks, or lines or any other unapproved water source. Also any water outlet which may become submerged in waste water, or any device, either permanent or temporary, through which backflow can occur is considered a cross-connection and is strictly prohibited.
2. 
Representatives of the Board of Public Works shall have the right to inspect any property at any time if they suspect that a cross-connection has been allowed to occur. All consumers shall allow access to their property by the Superintendent of the Board of Public Works or his/her agent at reasonable times and intervals for the purpose of inspecting the property for possible cross-connections.
3. 
If a cross-connection is found to exist, the City Board of Public Works shall notify the consumer and allow fifteen (15) days for the customer to either remove the cross-connection or install an approved backflow device to eliminate the hazard. If action has not been taken to correct the problem within the allowable time of fifteen (15) days, the City shall have the right to discontinue service.
4. 
If in the opinion of the Superintendent of the Board of Public Works a serious hazard to the health of the citizens of the community is posed by a cross-connection, the City will discontinue the service immediately without the fifteen-day notice. All attempts will be made by the City to notify a customer as soon as possible so immediate corrective action can be taken.
[R.O. 1992 § 700.140; Ord. No. 6702 § 1, 6-19-1989; Ord. No. 23-13786, 6-5-2023]
A. 
Because of the nature of their operation and chance that a backflow could accidentally occur, the following types of facilities shall be required to install an approved backflow device in their water service line.
Type Of Facility
Type Of Backflow Device Required*
Beverage bottling plants
AG, or RPD, or DCA
Packing houses
AG, or RPD
Cold storage plants
AG, or RPD
Dairies
AG, or RPD, or DCA
Film laboratories
AG, or RPD
Hospital, medical buildings, sanitariums, morgues, autopsy facilities
AG, or RPD
Nursing or convalescent homes and clinics
DCA
Irrigation system separate from domestic system
AG, RPD
Lawn sprinkling system adjunct to domestic system
DCA
Sewage treatment plant
AG, or RPD
Laundries
RPD
Car washes
RPD
Water loading stations
AG, or DCA
Industries using toxic substances
RPD
Stockyards
RPD
Any other facility which, in the judgement of the Board of Public Works, has the potential for danger to public health from backflow.
*AG refers to air-gap; RPD refers to reduced pressure backflow device; DCA refers to double-check valve assembly.
B. 
Backflow prevention devices shall be approved by the Public Works Superintendent before installation by the customer and shall have been acceptable to the Board of Public Works. Installation shall be inspected and approved by the Water Department.
C. 
The customer shall be responsible to maintain all backflow prevention devices in good working order and to make no piping or other arrangements for bypassing the devices.
D. 
Periodic testing and inspection schedules shall be established by the Board of Public Works for all backflow prevention devices. Defined information concerning installation, inspection, and testing, of said devices, in accordance with current Missouri Department of Natural Resources regulations, shall be on file at the office of the Superintendent of the Board of Public Works.
E. 
It is further suggested for the safety of any occupants or employees within any building that additional backflow devices may be installed.
[Ord. No. 23-13786, 6-5-2023]
A. 
It shall be the duty of the consumer at any premises on which backflow prevention devices required by this Article are installed to have inspections, tests and overhauls made in accordance with the following schedule or more often where inspections indicate a need.
1. 
Air-gap separations shall be inspected at the time of installation and at least every twelve (12) months thereafter.
2. 
Double-check valve assemblies shall be inspected and tested for tightness at the time of installation and at least every twelve (12) months thereafter. They shall be dismantled, inspected internally, cleaned and repaired whenever needed.
3. 
Reduced pressure principle backflow prevention devices shall be inspected and tested for tightness at the time of installation and at least every twelve (12) months thereafter. They shall be dismantled, inspected internally, cleaned and repaired whenever needed.
B. 
Inspections, tests and overhauls of backflow prevention devices shall be made at the expense of the water consumer and shall be performed by a Missouri certified backflow prevention device tester.
C. 
Whenever backflow prevention devices required by this Article are found to be defective, they shall be repaired or replaced at the expense of the consumer within fifteen (15) calendar days.
D. 
The water consumer shall maintain a complete record of each backflow prevention device from purchase to retirement. This shall include a comprehensive listing that includes a record of all tests, inspections and repairs. Records of inspections, tests, repairs and overhauls shall be forwarded to the Public Works Superintendent as directed by the Public Works Superintendent.
E. 
Backflow prevention devices shall not be by-passed, made inoperative, removed or otherwise made ineffective without specific authorization by the Public Works Superintendent.
F. 
The certified backflow prevention tester, hired by the customer, shall submit test report(s) for each device annually to the office of the Public Works Superintendent. The customer will be deemed in violation if the certified test report is not received by the water provider within sixty (60) days of the annual inspection date and shall be assessed a thirty dollar ($30.00) late fee.
[Ord. No. 23-13786, 6-5-2023]
A. 
The Public Works Superintendent shall deny or discontinue, after reasonable notice to the occupants thereof, the water service to any premises wherein any backflow prevention device required by this Article is not installed, tested and maintained in a manner acceptable to the Public Works Superintendent or if it is found that the backflow prevention device has been removed or by-passed or if an unprotected cross-connection exists on the premises. If, in the opinion of the Public Works Superintendent, a serious, immediate threat to public health is posed, then service shall be discontinued without notice.
B. 
Water service to such premises shall not be restored until the consumer has corrected or eliminated such conditions or defects in conformance with this Article to the satisfaction of the Public Works Superintendent.
[R.O. 1992 § 700.150; Ord. No. 6702 § 1, 6-19-1989]
A. 
In every street within the City that shall be paved, resurfaced, or otherwise permanently improved, the owner whose property borders said street shall be ordered by the Board of Public Works to install at their expense water and sewer service connections. It shall be the responsibility of the City to notify all property owners, before a street is permanently improved, so as to allow the owner sufficient time to have the services installed.
B. 
In any case where a property owner refuses to install the services to unimproved property, or under circumstances beyond their control cannot contract the work to a qualified person or plumber, the City Board of Public Works shall have the right to construct or contract the service installation to an outside party. The total costs of construction of water and sewer services shall be paid by the property owner to whose property the connections are made.
[R.O. 1992 § 700.160; Ord. No. 6702 § 1, 6-19-1989]
The phrase "permanently improved" as used in Section 700.150 shall refer to streets composed of a six- to eight-inch rock base and a one- to one-and-one-half-inch penetration asphalt top or its equivalent as well as streets composed of concrete.
[R.O. 1992 § 700.170; Ord. No. 6702 § 1, 6-19-1989]
A. 
The cost of the improvements under Section 700.150 shall be assessed as follows: The entire cost of installing any water or sewer service connection shall be computed by the Superintendent of the Board of Public Works who shall keep an accurate record of all labor, materials, and machinery needed for the installation of the above-mentioned services. Upon completion of all work, an itemized statement shall be prepared and sent to the owners for whose property the connections were made.
B. 
The cost of any work or improvement contemplated in this Section shall be levied as a special assessment against the lot, parcel, or tract of ground to which the improvement is made. A special tax bill shall be issued against each lot or tract against which an assessment has been made and shall state therein the name of the owner of record of the lot or tract assessed, a description of the lot or tract, the number of the improvement ordinances under which the work was done, and the number of the assessment ordinances under which the tax bills were issued, the different items of improvement and the total cost thereof, and shall be issued in favor of the City for and to use of the Board of Public Works and shall be collected the same as other tax bills. The tax bills shall be due thirty (30) days after the date of issue thereof and shall bear interest after thirty (30) days at a rate not to exceed eight percent (8%) per annum.