[Code 1991, § 18-1]
Unless otherwise specified, any person who shall violate any
of the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.
Any such person shall furthermore be liable for all damage, loss and
expense suffered or incurred by the City as a result of such violation.
[Code 1991, § 18-2]
If there is reasonable cause to suspect a violation of this
chapter, the City Manager or his duly authorized agent shall have
the authority to enter any lot or house wherein City water is used
to ascertain if there is any waste of water, and to inspect the plumbing.
If the City Manager or his designee is denied entry, he may apply
to the circuit court for an inspection warrant authorizing such investigation,
evaluation, inspection, testing or taking of samples for testing as
provided in Code of Virginia, § 19.2-393 et seq.
[Code 1991, § 18-4]
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all property located
outside the City connected to the City sewer system.
[Code 1991, § 18-36; Ord. No. 98-27, 11-10-1998]
A. Generally.
(1) The City Manager shall have the authority to require any person requesting
water or sewer service to pay a deposit or advance payment as security
for the full and timely payment of such customer's utility bills.
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, such deposit shall be
not less than $10 and not more than the estimated charge for six months'
service, as determined by the City Manager. No interest shall be paid
on such deposits.
(2) If the City Manager finds that the water and sewer deposit of any
existing utility customer is insufficient to ensure full and timely
payment of such person's water and sewer service bill, he shall
have the authority to increase the amount of such customer's
deposit to an amount he deems adequate to protect the City's
interests. Under no circumstances, however, shall such customer's
total deposit for water and sewer service exceed the estimated charge
for six months' service, as determined by the City Manager.
(3) Persons requesting water and sewer service shall be responsible for
the payment of their water and sewer service bills, except that, where
an account consists of multiple residential or commercial units at
one address and the units receive service through a single meter,
then the owner of the property shall be responsible for payment of
utility bills.
B. Reduction or waiver of deposit for residential customers.
(1) The City Manager shall have the authority to reduce or waive water
and sewer deposits for new residential customers and accounts upon
a finding that the person requesting service possesses a satisfactory
credit record and meets all of the requirements of a written credit
policy to be developed and maintained by the City Manager. At his
discretion, the City Manager may utilize and rely upon one or more
commercial credit agencies in determining the creditworthiness of
new and existing utility customers.
(2) After 12 consecutive months in which a residential customer has compiled
a satisfactory utility payment history and has paid all water and
sewer bills in full by each due date, the City Manager shall credit
any deposit paid by such person to his account and reflect such credit
on the customer's next billing statement. If a customer's
utility service is terminated for any reason, the City Manager may
withhold the refunding or crediting of such customer's deposit
until City personnel have read and removed any water meter serving
the property and have determined whether all obligations of the customer
have been fully performed.
[Ord. No. 12-10, 5-8-2012]
A. Bills for water and sewer service fees and charges are due and payable
upon receipt. Any bill not paid by the first business day after the
25th day of the first month after the date of the bill is considered
delinquent. Delinquent bills shall be assessed a one-time penalty
of 10% of the balance owed on the bill at the time of delinquency,
not to exceed $100. A delinquent notice shall be sent to customers
at such time as their account becomes delinquent.
B. No sooner than 15 calendar days after the date of delinquency, the
City Treasurer shall request that the City Manager turn off City water
from the premises of any customer who is in arrears for water or sanitary
sewer assessments. The City Treasurer shall have authority to extend,
but not to shorten, the date for service cut-off.
C. There shall be a service and administrative processing fee of $35
for reconnection of service. There shall be an additional charge of
$20 for restoration of service after 4:00 p.m.
D. Water service, when discontinued, shall remain turned off until all
water or sanitary sewer fees and charges are paid with such penalty
and interest to the date of payment.
E. It shall be unlawful for any person to turn on the water on such
premises without the permission of the City Manager or his designee.
It shall be unlawful for any delinquent customer, whose water has
been turned off, to connect to City water lines from the premises
of another person, and it shall be unlawful for any person to allow
such delinquent customer to obtain water from a hydrant while the
water of such delinquent customer remains cut off.