[Amended 9-13-1979 by Ord. No. MC-1522; 8-13-1981 by Ord. No. MC-1766; 4-9-1987 by Ord. No. MC-2289; 1-23-1997 by Ord. No. MC-3269; 4-16-2009 by Ord. No. MC-4460; 6-1-2009 by Ord. No. MC-4471]
A. Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
AR1 NOTICEA system-generated notice reminding the customer that payment has not been received (also referred to as a "reminder notice").
AR2 NOTICEA system-generated notice telling the customer that his or her service will be discontinued due to nonpayment (also referred to as a "shutoff notice").
COLLECTORAn employee of United Water Camden who collects payments that are past due for a customer's water usage and shuts off the water supply for nonpayment.
CURB STOPThe valve that controls the water on the service line. It must be located within the street right-of-way to meet the definition.
CUSTOMERThe owner of property receiving water and or sewer services from the City of Camden.
DEBTAny obligation of a consumer to pay money arising out of the provision of water and/or sewer service services.
POSTNotification posted at a property informing the customer and/or the tenant that the water service will be shut off if certain criteria are not met by a certain date.
SHUTOFF OR SHUT OFF(1) Interruption of water service to a given property.
Physically shutting off water service to a property.
B. Collections overview.
(1) The United Water (UW) billing system generates bills based on usage derived from the meter readings obtained at a customer's property. All bills have a due date for payment of 30 days from the issuance of the bill. If payment is not received within the thirty-day period the United Water (UW) billing system, Wins II, generates an AR1 notice (reminder notice) on the 33rd day from the bill date. The notice gives 10 days for payment of the outstanding receivable. If payment is not received, an urgent and final Notice AR2 (shutoff notice) is sent instructing the customer to pay the debt within 10 days of the date of the shutoff notice to avoid interruption of service. If payment is not received within 10 days after the date of the shutoff notice, then a collector will post the property for shutoff. If payment has not been received within 24 hours of the posting of the property, then the collector will shutoff the water supply at the property.
C. Shutoff times.
(1) Shutoffs are performed when the debt remains unpaid after all required notices have been given. The discontinuance of service shall occur between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, unless there is a safety-related emergency. There shall be no involuntary termination of service on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, or on a day before a holiday or on a holiday absent such emergency.
(2) If the United Water Camden representative during the process of a shutoff observes a problem with the curb stop, a case is generated and will be sent for repair. If the property does not have a curb box, the collector cannot shutoff the service and a curb box must be installed.
D. Shutoffs for multiple dwellings.
(1) If payment is not received within 30 days from the issuance of the bill, then Wins II generates an ARI Notice (reminder notice) on the 33rd day from the bill date. The reminder notice gives the customer 10 days to pay the outstanding receivable. If payment is not received by the 10th day, an urgent and final notice AR2 (shutoff notice) is sent, instructing the customer to pay the debt within 10 days of the date of the shutoff notice to avoid interruption of service. A copy of the shutoff notice shall be provided to the Camden County Health Department and posted in a public place on the property. If payment has not been received within 10 days after the date of the shutoff notice, then a collector will post the property for shutoff. If payment is not received within 24 hours of the posting, then the collector will shutoff the water supply at the property.
E. Medical emergencies. If a customer is unable to pay charges due to a medical emergency, United Water Camden cannot terminate service, provided that such medical emergency is certified by a local Board of Health or doctor. Such initial certification is good for 30 days. A certificate may be renewed, provided that the doctor states the expected duration and explains either the nature of the emergency or the reason why absence of service would aggravate the emergency. A renewed certificate shall remain in force for 30 days, 60 days, or such longer period as approved by the Chief Operating Officer or the Business Administrator.
F. Bankruptcy.
(1) As soon as notification is received that a customer has filed for bankruptcy protection, the City's Law Department should be notified. United Water is to provide the City's Law Department with a signed proof of claim showing the amount due for unpaid water and/or sewer charges as of the date of the bankruptcy filing, together with estimated interest over the life of the plan and documentation of the amounts due.
(2) Every two weeks, United Water shall provide the City's Law Department with a list of the accounts for which it has received bankruptcy notices.
(3) In all cases the customer of record must be the debtor. If a discrepancy arises, all information should be verified with the attorney or trustee for the debtor.
(4) An individual debtor who is in bankruptcy may not include his business establishment on the petition. Therefore, a customer of record should be the named debtor on the bankruptcy petition. If this is not the case, information should always be verified with the attorney for the debtor and/or confirmed in writing prior to changing company records.
(5) United Water may alter, refuse or discontinue service if neither the trustee nor the debtor, within 20 days after the bankruptcy filing date, furnishes adequate assurance of payment, in the form of a deposit or other security, for service after such date. When a customer files for bankruptcy, United Water should request an adequate assurance payment equal to 1.5 times the average bill; however, the amount can be negotiated.
(6) Customers in an active bankruptcy may not have their water service shut off without permission from the Bankruptcy Court; provided, however pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 366, if a debtor is in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy and United Water does not receive from either the debtor or the trustee an adequate assurance payment for utility service that is acceptable to the United Water within 30 days of the bankruptcy filing, then United Water may alter, refuse, or disconnect utility service for that debtor.
G. In case of involuntary discontinuance of water service, as provided in Subsections
A through
F of this section, there shall be a turnoff charge of $40 and a turn-on charge of $40 for restoring the service, if such services are performed on weekdays during normal City working hours. If this service is performed at any other time, there shall be a turnoff charge of $60 and a turn-on charge of $60. In no event shall the water be turned on until all the water charges or rents, penalties and interests have been paid and defects complained of have been remedied.
H. If it is found that the water has been turned on again without the compliance with the provisions of Subsection
G, the Department of Public Works may cause the ferrule to be drawn and it shall not be inserted again until there has been compliance with the provisions of said Subsection
G.