City of Farmington, MO Charges and Billing

[Code 1974 §635.200; CC 1984 §29-121; Ord. No. 3-35 §§1, 2, 4-17-1993; Ord. No. 3-43 §1, 8-18-2003]

Before a residential consumer is allowed to use water from the waterworks system of this City, they shall deposit the sum of fifteen dollars ($15.00) with the City. Those consumers receiving general service electrical rates shall pay a water deposit based upon one-sixth (1/6) of the average usage during the previous twelve (12) months or one-sixth (1/6) of the estimated twelve (12) months' usage, if no prior service existed. The general service deposit shall not be less than fifteen dollars ($15.00) or more than one hundred dollars ($100.00).

All deposits will be refunded after two (2) years of good credit; "good credit" shall mean that the consumer shall not have been in arrears during the past two (2) years.

Section 705.160 Water Meters Required — Rates Prescribed.

[CC 1984 §29-123; Ord. No. 3-24G §1, 11-19-2001; Ord. No. 3-24H §1, 11-19-2001; Ord. No. 3-23I §1, 12-16-2002; Ord. No. 3-23J §1, 12-16-2002; Ord. No. 3-45 §1, 9-29-2003; Ord. No. 3-24 I §1, 9-20-2004; Ord. No. 3-55 §1, 9-29-2008; Ord. No. 3-57 §1, 10-7-2009; Ord. No. 3-59 §1, 9-14-2010; Ord. No. 3-60 §1, 4-27-2011; Ord. No. 3-62 §1, 7-26-2011; Ord. No. 3-73 §1, 9-28-2015; Ord. No. 3-82, 1-13-2022; Ord. No. 3-88, 2-27-2023]

Water from the water works system of this City shall be furnished through meters and the following rates for the use of water, for the period of one (1) monthly billing cycle, are hereby established:

All of the following services within the City limits of the City of Farmington shall be subject to the following minimum rates regardless of the amount of water used:

	5/8" and 3/4" meter	$8.00
	1" meter	$15.00
	1 1/2" meter	$22.00
	2" meter	$60.00
	3" meter	$100.00
	4" meter	$170.00
	6" meter	$395.00

For water furnished within the City limits of the City of Farmington the following shall apply:

All water less than seventy thousand (70,000) cubic feet, per one hundred (100) cubic feet

$3.10

For water furnished within the City limits of the City of Farmington to customers who exceed seventy thousand (70,000) cubic feet per monthly billing cycle, the following rates will apply:

	All water less than seventy thousand (70,000) cubic feet, per one hundred (100) cubic feet		$3.10
	All water in excess of seventy thousand (70,000) cubic feet, per one hundred (100) cubic feet		$3.75

For water furnished outside the City limits of the City of Farmington with connection to the City sewer works the following shall apply:

	Minimum charge per month		$10.00
	All water less than seventy thousand (70,000) cubic feet, per one hundred (100) cubic feet		$3.65

For water furnished outside the City limits of the City of Farmington without connection to the City sewer works the following shall apply:

	Minimum charge per month		$11.10
	All water less than seventy thousand (70,000) cubic feet, per one hundred (100) cubic feet		$5.05

Special hydrant use:

Deposit on hydrant and meter
	2 1/2" meter	$300.00
	3/4" meter	$100.00
Temporary service and rental [one (1) month]		$50.00
Weekly rental after one (1) month		$10.00
All water furnished per one hundred (100) cubic feet		$5.50

Section 705.170 Rate Charged if Meter Fails to Operate.

[Code 1974 §635.110; CC 1984 §29-124]

If any meter used for the registering of water gets out of order or fails to register or to register correctly the amount of water passing through it, the consumer shall be charged at the rate of the average daily consumption of water as shown by the meter readings during the last previous month during which water shall have been used through the meter.

Section 705.180 Charge for Non-Resident Fire Protection. [1]

[CC 1984 §29-125; Ord. No. 3-24C §1(635.072), 12-17-1979]

For all persons who are being furnished water by the City and living outside the City limits, the City shall furnish all the usual and available fire protection therefor without the usual prescribed fees paid by non-residents of the City. However, the priorities for the use of the City fire equipment and crews shall remain the same, with top priority for fire protection to be given to residents of the City.

[1]

Cross Reference — Fire prevention and protection, ch. 203.

Section 705.190 Meters Read Monthly — Consumers Billed Monthly.

[Code 1974 §635.080; CC 1984 §29-126; Ord. No. 3-3I §1, 11-21-1988]

It shall be the duty of the Utilities Superintendent, either in person or by his/her assistants, to visit each residence, place of business or other place where meters used for registering water are kept, monthly, and to read every such meter and ascertain therefrom the quantity of water consumed by the licensed owner of the meter for the previous month or license period. The City Light and Water Department shall thereupon make out, from the meter reading so delivered to it by the Superintendent, a statement of the quantity of water used by each consumer and the total cost thereof due from the consumer to the City for same and shall mail, through the United States mail, a copy of the statement of account to each consumer.

Section 705.200 Delinquent Accounts — Consumer Complaints — How Handled.

[Code 1974 §635.100; CC 1984 §29-128; Ord. No. 3-3H §1(635.100), 1-18-1982; Ord. No. 3-3I §1, 11-21-1988; Ord. No. 3-33B §§1, 2, 5-16-1994; Ord. No. 3-75, 9-25-2017]

If the account of any customer, whether for water used, supplies furnished, or work performed, is not paid on or before ten (10) days past the due date designated on said statement for which said work or supplies are rendered, the City shall disconnect the customer from the water supply and shall not furnish the customer with services at the affected location while the indebtedness remains unpaid.

Notwithstanding Subsection (A) of this Section, the City Administrator shall establish policies to allow for credits to customer accounts for water loss due to unexpected leaks, and to permit deferment of utility bill payment beyond the regular due date for customers unable to pay their bill.

Any customer who disputes the correctness or other conditions of the account so rendered may make objection thereto within thirty (30) days of the date the City mailed the disputed statement to the customer, and upon such objection being made, the City Administrator, or his/her designee, shall investigate the objections to the account to determine the validity of the objections and notify the customer of his/her determination regarding the validity of the account and any adjustments found to be warranted. The services of any such customer shall not be disconnected until the City Administrator, or his/her designee, completes the investigation and determines whether any adjustments are warranted. If the investigation results in an adjustment to the customer's account, the customer shall pay the remaining past due amount within thirty (30) days after being provided notice of the investigation results to avoid disconnection. If the adjusted past due amount is not paid within thirty (30) days after the notice is provided, the City shall disconnect the customer's service.

The determination by the City Administrator, or his/her designee, may be appealed by the complaining customer to a committee of the City Council for hearing. Any such appeal must be submitted in writing by the customer within ten (10) days of notice of the decision being appealed. Any such appeal shall not affect the City's right to disconnect the customer's service for failing to pay the past due amount.

Section 705.210 Reconnection Fee.

[CC 1984 §29-129; Ord. No. 3-3J §1, 11-19-2001]

If any delinquent consumer's water shall have been shut off from the water supply of this City as provided for in Section 705.200, the consumer shall not be reconnected to the City water supply distribution system until he/she shall first pay the sum of fifty dollars ($50.00) as a reconnection fee. If said delinquent consumer wishes the reconnection be made other than during normal working hours, the consumer shall pay the sum of one hundred dollars ($100.00) as a reconnection fee.

Section 705.220 State-Assessed Charge for Drinking Water (Primacy Fee).

[CC 1984 §29-130; Ord. No. 7-26F §§1 — 3, 12-21-1992]

The Missouri State "primacy fee" will be collected annually. This fee will be stated separately on the customers water bill as a "State fee".

The charge assessed against each customer of the City utility as established by the State is determined on the basis of meter size as stated below. The City shall use its records to determine the initial fee, which unless challenged within thirty (30) days after the date the fee becomes delinquent shall be conclusively presumed to be accurate:

	Customer Meter Size	Fee (per year)
	One (1) inch or smaller	$1.84
	More than one (1) and less than two (2) inches	$5.00
	More than two (2) and less than four (4) inches	$25.00
	More than four (4) inches	$50.00

The City Administrator is directed to obtain the necessary services and supplies to comply with this decision, including new State billing forms and computer programming services as required.