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State law reference: Rates and charges, MCL 141.121 et seq.
[Code 1974, § 111A-4.1; Ord. No. 2001-18, 12-4-2001]
Charges shall be made to all premises connected to the water supply system as provided in this article. Charges shall include a connection charge for water service when the user's property is first connected to the system, a benefit charge to pay for the construction of the water main adjacent to the property, a billing charge for each bill issued, a commodity charge for the volume of water used, and other charges and costs for services which are equivalent to the cost of providing such services.
[Code 1974, § 111A-4.2; Ord. No. 2001-18, 12-4-2001]
Rates sufficient to provide for the payment of the expenses of administration and operation of the water system and such expenses for the maintenance thereof as may be necessary to preserve the same in good repair and working order; to provide for the payment of the interest upon and principal of all bonds payable there from, as and when the same shall become due and payable, and for the creation of a reserve for the payment of principal and interest required in Township Ordinance No. 34; and to provide for such other expenditures and funds for the system as are required by law shall be fixed and revised from time to time by resolution of the Township Board so as to produce the aforementioned amounts. The methodology of adjusting the commodity charges shall be in accordance with the water and wastewater rate study prepared by the Township's consultant, presented to and approved by the Township Board in 2001. Such revisions shall be by resolution of the Township Board and formal amendment of Township Ordinance No. 34 setting rates for water consumption shall not be necessary. All rate changes shall be published at least twice in a newspaper of general circulation within the Township.
[Code 1974, § 111A-4.3; Ord. No. 2001-18, 12-4-2001]
Each premises connecting to any water mains of the system shall pay a connection charge as established from time to time by resolution of the Township Board. The methodology of adjusting the connection charges shall be in accordance with the water and wastewater rate study prepared by the Township's consultant, presented to and approved by the Township Board in 2001. Such charges shall be paid in cash before a tap-in permit is issued. Nothing herein shall abrogate the exemption to connection charges provided to certain designated lands by § 12c of Township Ordinance No. 34.
[Code 1974, § 111A-4.4; Ord. No. 2001-18, 12-4-2001]
Those persons owning lands in direct proximity to a Township water main whose lands have not been subjected to a special assessment to pay for the construction of such main and who make connection to such water main shall pay a benefit charge for the privilege of each connection to such main in addition to all other charges above provided, which benefit charge shall be as established from time to time by resolution of the Township Board. Such benefit charge shall be paid in cash or in installments, with interest and penalties, all as shall be established and provided from time to time by resolution of the Township Board.
[Code 1974, § 111A-4.4.1; Ord. No. 2001-18, 12-4-2001]
The provision of public water service through the establishment of Public Act No. 188 of 1954 (MCL § 41.721 et seq.) water service district to existing uses is not always appropriate. In those cases, where all potential users in the area to be served by the proposed water main extension do not seek service at the present time, a temporary one-inch-diameter water service extension may be authorized at the expense of the applicant. Temporary service may be authorized due to an emergency because of a private well failure or if the Township Board determines that a main line extension will unlikely be required or appropriate beyond the affected property in the immediate future. In no event shall a temporary service extend beyond two parcels or 200 feet, whichever is less, from the existing main to the customer's property line. The applicant for a temporary connection shall pay a benefit charge in the amount established by resolution, unless installment payments are approved by the Township Board, and the appropriate connection fee in cash prior to connection to the temporary service. When the main is eventually extended, the benefit charge collected for the temporary connection will be applied to the benefit charge computed for the extension of the water main. At the time the main is extended, the temporary service shall be abandoned.
[Code 1974, § 111A-4.5; Ord. No. 2001-18, 12-4-2001]
No free water service shall be furnished by the system to the Township or to any person, firm, or corporation, public or private, or to any public agency or instrumentality. The cost of water connections from the system to private premises shall not be paid from the proceeds of the bond issue financing such systems or from the revenues of the system. The Township shall pay for all water used by it at the established rates.
[Code 1974, § 111A-4.6; Ord. No. 2001-18, 12-4-2001]
Charges for all water services rendered by the system shall be billed and collected at least quarterly. The frequency of billings shall be established from time to time by resolution of the Township Board. All bills paid on or before the 20th day of the month next following the date of billing shall be without penalty, but if unpaid by such date shall thereafter be considered delinquent and shall be subject to a 5% penalty.
[Code 1974, § 111A-4.7; Ord. No. 2001-18, 12-4-2001]
The Department of Public Works and Engineering is hereby authorized to enforce the collection of charges for water service to any premises by discontinuing the water service to such premises, and legal action may be instituted by the Township against the customer to collect payment of charges. The charges for water service are a lien on the premises to which furnished under the provisions of Public Act No. 94 of 1933 (MCL § 141.101 et seq.). The Director of Public Works and Engineering shall, annually on November 1, certify all unpaid charges for such service furnished to any premises which, on October 31 preceding, have remained unpaid for a period of six months to the Township Supervisor, who shall place the same on the next Township tax roll. Such charges so assessed shall be collected in the same manner as general Township taxes. Where water service to any premises is turned off to enforce the payment of water service charges, such services shall not be recommenced until all delinquent charges have been paid, and there shall be a turn-on charge as established from time to time by resolution of the Township Board. In such or any other case where, in the discretion of the Director of Public Works and Engineering, the collection of charges for water service may be difficult or uncertain, the director may require a deposit of three times the average quarterly water service bill for such premises as estimated by the Director of Public Works and Engineering. Such deposit may be applied against any delinquent water service charges and the application thereof shall not affect the right of the department to turn off the water service to any premises for any delinquency thereby satisfied. No such deposit shall bear interest and such deposit, or any remaining balance thereof, shall be returned to the customer making the same when he shall discontinue receiving water service.