[1]
State law reference—Water systems in home-rule municipalities, V.T.C.A., Local Government Code, sec. 402.017.
The monthly rates and charges for water sales and services rendered by the City to customers either outside or within the corporate limits of the City (excluding wholesale customers) are established, fixed and prescribed as provided for in the fee schedule found in Appendix A of this Code.
(Ordinance CO52-16-09-08-D1 adopted 9/8/16; Ordinance CO14.22.02.10.E1 adopted 2/10/2022)
In addition to the monthly rates above scheduled, the City may assess fees and charges in connection with utility service to its customers as provided for in the fee schedule found in Appendix A of this Code.
(Ordinance CO52-16-09-08-D1 adopted 9/8/16; Ordinance CO14.22.02.10.E1 adopted 2/10/2022)
(a) 
Generally.
Security deposits in the amount set forth in this section shall be required in accordance with the fee schedule, and shall be assessed on the customer's first bill. The security deposit shall be held by the City without payment of interest for the life of the account, or credited back to the account after twelve (12) consecutive months if the customer has not made more than one (1) delinquent payment during that time. The security deposit shall be refunded at that time or upon termination of service in accordance with subsection (b) below.
(b) 
Refund.
Upon termination of water service (and wastewater service if such service is provided by the City), such portion of the deposit as is not required to pay for damages to the water meter, accrued service charges, and penalties, shall be refunded to the customer. Normal wear and tear in the ordinary course of use shall not be construed to be damage to the water meter under this Article.
(Ordinance CO52-16-09-08-D1 adopted 9/8/16; Ordinance CO14.22.02.10.E1 adopted 2/10/2022)
(a) 
Mailing.
The City shall provide a monthly bill to all customers of the City's water and wastewater systems.
(b) 
No consumption.
Customers with no monthly water consumption will be billed the minimum charge.
(c) 
Due date.
Payment of bills is due fifteen (15) days from the date such bills are placed in the United States Mail with proper postage affixed; provided, that if such 15th day is a weekend or holiday, payment shall be due on the next following business day.
(d) 
Returned checks.
There will be a returned check charge in the amount indicated in Appendix A of this Code, for any check written for payment of services rendered by the City water or wastewater utilities and returned for any reason.
(e) 
Delinquency.
(1) 
Any bill not paid by the due date shall be deemed past due and a delinquent payment charge in the amount indicated in Appendix A of this Code shall be assessed. When both water and wastewater services are included in a bill, payment in full for both services must be made or else the entire bill will be considered delinquent. All accounts more than ten (10) days past due are subject to service termination by the City. Reconnection shall be made only in accordance with the procedure set out in section 18.01.007(b) of this Article.
(2) 
Persons of age 60 or older cannot be charged a penalty until bill is past due by 25 days.
(f) 
No free service.
There shall be no free services provided. City departments using water and wastewater services shall pay the rate set out in Appendix A of this Code.
(g) 
Installment payments.
In unusual circumstances and in limited cases, the City Administrator or designee may, at his or her discretion, enter into a written agreement with a customer for extended or installment payments.
(Ordinance CO52-16-09-08-D1 adopted 9/8/16; Ordinance CO14.22.02.10.E1 adopted 2/10/2022)
(a) 
Generally.
With the exception of those premises using water sources other than the city's water system as of the effective date of this section, all premises within the city shall hereafter be connected to the water system of the city for the purpose of all household uses and other uses intended for human consumption.
(b) 
Connection to meters.
Connection to meters shall be the responsibility of the user, but shall be made only under the supervision of authorized personnel of the city. Water service customers shall install a cut-off valve outside their meter box on the underside thereof. Yard lines connected to meters shall not cross into private property or private easements not owned by the customer.
(c) 
Separate meter required.
Every building, structure or consumer in the city shall have a separate water meter; however, this provision may be waived for good cause upon written application by the water service customer, subject to approval by the City Manager.
(d) 
Commingling prohibited.
There shall be no connection to any water lines of the city, or any water lines served by water from the city's water system, to any other source of water, nor shall water from the city's water system in any manner be commingled with other water systems in direct contact with water from the city's water system.
(e) 
Design.
No water connection to the city's water system shall be made to any sprinkling, condensing, cooling, plumbing or any other system unless the said connection is of such a design to insure against any backflow or siphonage or sewage or contaminated water from said system into the drinking water supply.
(f) 
Violations.
Any person who shall make any connection in any manner to any water service, whether owned by the city or not, without the prior knowledge and consent of the owner of such service, shall be deemed in violation of this section. Any unauthorized operations of city utilities shall result in charges as outlined in appendix A of this code.
(Ordinance O2000-18 adopted 3/23/00; Ordinance CO14.22.02.10.E1 adopted 2/10/2022)
Water customers wishing to discontinue the use of water service shall give written notice thereof to the city water department. The water customer's deposit shall be refunded in accordance with the provisions of section 18.01.003(b) above. Failure to give such written notice shall render such water customer liable for the payment of all water bills to the premises until such notice has been given.
(Ordinance O2000-18 adopted 3/23/00; Ordinance CO14.22.02.10.E1 adopted 2/10/2022)
(a) 
Reasons for termination enumerated.
The City shall have the right to disconnect or refuse to connect or reconnect any water and/or wastewater service connection for the following reasons:
(1) 
Failure of the water or wastewater service customer to meet the applicable provisions of law;
(2) 
Violation by water or wastewater service customer of the rules and regulations pertaining to such service;
(3) 
Nonpayment of bills by water or wastewater service customer;
(4) 
Payment of a water or wastewater bill or security deposit with a check or draft which is not honored by the drawee;
(5) 
Willful and negligent waste of water due to leaks during an established emergency;
(6) 
Molesting any meter, seal, or other equipment controlling or regulating the supply of water or wastewater service;
(7) 
Theft or diversion and/or use of water or wastewater without payment therefor;
(8) 
Vacancy of premises;
(9) 
Selling, delivering, or furnishing water without written permission from the City water department, either on or off the consumer's premises; or
(10) 
Existence of a known dangerous condition for as long as the condition exists, in which case service may be terminated without notice.
(b) 
Termination notice.
Except for circumstances requiring immediate action to protect, life or property, termination of service shall not take place prior to the giving of at least five days notice to the customer by mail of the intention of the City to so terminate. Said notice shall:
(1) 
Be sent by mail or electronic mail to the last known billing address of the customer;
(2) 
State the reason for the proposed termination;
(3) 
State the customer's right to a hearing before such termination occurs; and
(4) 
State that the customer who desires a hearing must request a hearing by contacting the City Manager at a stated telephone number or in person before the expiration of five (5) days from the date of mailing.
(c) 
Resumption of water service.
If any of the reasons for termination set forth in subsection (a) above continues for a period in excess of five (5) days after notice is mailed, and the customer has not requested a hearing within the specified time period, or if a hearing is requested and the City Manager determines that the facts support the issuance of the termination, water and wastewater service to the user shall be shut off and the meter removed or meter box locked. Water service shall not be resumed until:
(1) 
Generally.
The necessary reparations are made by the customer to the City in accordance with the City Manager's ruling.
(2) 
For delinquency.
All amounts owing by the customer are paid in full, including any penalty charge, return check charge and reconnection fee, if applicable.
(Ordinance CO52-16-09-08-D1 adopted 9/8/16; Ordinance CO14.22.02.10.E1 adopted 2/10/2022)
(a) 
Required.
All premises using city water services must be equipped with an adequate water meter furnished by the city. Before any premises is occupied, a water meter shall be installed, all inspections must be made by the city's building inspector or arrangements made by said inspector. All large non-residential customers (those using an average of 25,000 gallons or more a month) shall be required to install a separate water meter if they have an irrigation system.
(b) 
Reading.
The water superintendent shall read or cause to be read every water meter used in the city at such times as are necessary in order that the customer's water bill may be sent out in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(c) 
Testing.
Any municipal water meter shall be tested upon receipt of a complaint by a water service customer and payment by said customer of a fee as set forth in section 18.01.002 above. If such meter is found to be more than three (3) percent from being accurate, it shall be repaired or replaced, and said fee for such testing shall be returned to the water service customer.
(d) 
Installation.
Meters shall be installed in a location that will provide easy access to the personnel of the city water department.
(e) 
Fees.
Tap fees in accordance with the fee schedule in appendix A of this code shall be collected prior to installation of any service.
(f) 
Maintenance.
The water service customer shall maintain and keep in good repair, yard lines connected to their water meter. Meter boxes shall be maintained from any overgrowth and vegetation to facilitate their accessibility by city personnel.
(Ordinance O2000-18 adopted 3/23/00; Ordinance CO14.22.02.10.E1 adopted 2/10/2022)
All property owners, their agents and tenants, shall be responsible as consumers for loss of water and property damage due to leakage in pipes or plumbing on the customer side of the meter or on the owner's property. In accordance with the city's water leak adjustment policy, customers may make a written request, once per year, for an adjustment due to substantial leakage as defined in the policy.
(Ordinance O2000-18 adopted 3/23/00; Ordinance CO14.22.02.10.E1 adopted 2/10/2022)
The City Manager shall cause the city staff to conduct a review and assessment of the city's water and sewer rate structure to determine the existing and projected fiscal impact of the rate structure on the city. The City Manager shall cause this review and assessment of the rate structure to be completed each year following the auditor's annual report to the City Council and shall report to the City Council the results of the annual review and assessment along with recommendations for needed changes in the rate structure.
(Ordinance O2000-18 adopted 3/23/00; Ordinance CO14.22.02.10.E1 adopted 2/10/2022)
(a) 
The City Manager may issue permits authorizing companies or individuals to take water from city fire hydrants. The annual fee for such permits shall be as provided for in the fee schedule found in appendix A of this code. The minimum monthly charge to permit holders shall be as provided for in the fee schedule found in appendix A of this code. All water use in excess of 2,000 gallons shall be charged at a rate as provided for in the fee schedule found in appendix A of this code. The City Manager shall establish rules and regulations for the measurement of consumption and the methods of connection of the fire hydrants.
(b) 
Persons taking water from a fire hydrant must have a permit and an approved fire hydrant wrench in their possession and must display such permit or wrench for inspection by city employees upon request. In order to protect the city's water system from pressure loss, before taking water from any fire hydrant, the permittee must notify the city water department and receive approval for such taking at a specific time and location.
(c) 
The failure to display the above-mentioned permit or wrench upon request by a city employee and the failure to obtain city approval prior to each instance of taking water at a specific time and location shall be offenses punishable by a fine and/or revocation of the permit.
(Ordinance O2000-18 adopted 3/23/00; Ordinance CO14.22.02.10.E1 adopted 2/10/2022)
(a) 
Leaks.
(1) 
Customers who have experienced water loss due to the following reasons may request an adjustment to their accounts:
(A) 
Underground leaks.
(B) 
Leaks behind walls.
(C) 
Leaks in the slab.
(2) 
The adjustment must be received in writing with proof of repairs: plumbing invoices or receipt of plumbing supplies. The request for this adjustment must be made within 6 months of the repair date.
(3) 
The adjustment will be made at one-half the difference between the customer's highest consumption during the leak period and normal comparable consumption within a two month range.
(4) 
Current water rates will be used to determine the amount to be adjusted to the customer's account.
Example:
70,000 gallons - monthly consumption billed with leak
50,000 gallons - normal comparable consumption
Adjustment formula: 70,000 gallons - 50,000 gallons = 10,000 gallons
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10,000 gallons of water to be credited based on current water rates.
(b) 
Water conservation. Single-family residential customers who purchase rain barrel(s) to serve their single-family residence in the City may request a credit to their account in the amount of $0.50 per gallon of capacity of the rain barrel(s) within 60 days of installation. The maximum credit amount shall not exceed $100.00 per single-family residential water account for the lifetime of that account.
(Ordinance CO30-03-09-11-10C adopted 9/11/03; Ordinance CO14.22.02.10.E1 adopted 2/10/2022; )