(a) 
The rates for water and sewer services provided by the city shall be as provided for in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code.
(b) 
Only individually metered single-family residential accounts, whether for a stand-alone residence, apartment or manufactured home, shall be billed on residential rates.
(c) 
All other accounts (business, nonresidential uses and master-metered multiple-occupancy units) shall be billed on commercial rates.
(2001 Code, sec. 13.1101)
A fee as provided for in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code shall be charged to cover the initiation and setup cost of each new account.
(2001 Code, sec. 13.1111)
(a) 
A minimum monthly service charge shall be made each month or fraction thereof for water service within the city limits. The minimum charge shall be based on the size of the meter. The minimum charge shall be recalculated prior to the start of each fiscal year from the budgeted amount of the following fixed costs: annual water-related debt service, utility (electric, gas, water and sewer) costs, water system insurance costs, TCEQ fees, raw water costs, and administrative costs. The recalculated minimum charge shall be approved by ordinance prior to the start of each fiscal year. The minimum charge established is as provided in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code.
(b) 
The rates for the use of water by residential and commercial customers within the corporate limits shall be calculated using the rate scales as provided for in the fee schedule found in appendix A of this code.
(2001 Code, sec. 13.1102; Ordinance 2017-10, sec. A, adopted 9/5/17)
(a) 
The city council, having found that the cost of supplying water services to customers outside the corporate limits of the city is greater than that of supplying its customers receiving services inside the corporate limits, therefore set the following rates for its residential and commercial customers outside the corporate limits. A minimum monthly service charge shall be made each month or fraction thereof for water service within [outside] the city limits. The minimum charge shall be based on the size of the meter. The minimum charge shall be recalculated prior to the start of each fiscal year from the budgeted amount of the following fixed costs: annual water-related debt service, utility (electric, gas, water and sewer) costs, water system insurance costs, TCEQ fees, raw water costs, and administrative costs. The recalculated minimum charge shall be approved by ordinance prior to the start of each fiscal year. The minimum charge established is as provided in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code.
(b) 
The rates for the use of water by residential and commercial customers outside the corporate limits shall be calculated using the rate scales provided for in the fee schedule found in appendix A of this code.
(2001 Code, sec. 13.1103; Ordinance 2017-10, sec. B, adopted 9/5/17)
(a) 
The monthly charge for connection to the sanitary sewer system shall consist of a basic charge plus a usage charge based on the amount of water service consumed as set forth in subsections (b) and (c). The basic service charge shall be recalculated prior to the start of each fiscal year from the budgeted amount of the following fixed costs: annual sewer-related debt service, utility (electric, gas, water and sewer) costs, sewer system insurance costs, and administrative costs. The recalculated minimum charge shall be approved by ordinance prior to the start of each fiscal year. The basic service charge established is as provided in the fee schedule found in appendix A of this code.
(b) 
All residential customers shall pay a usage charge as provided for in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code for every hundred cubic feet of water used on the average month during the period commencing November 15th of the annual billing period immediately preceding the month for which a bill is currently being tendered. It is the intent of this section to establish a fixed monthly sewer service usage charge for each customer that will be consistent from month to month within a given year. The city will determine the average cubic feet of water used by each customer during the November 15th to February 15th period each year and will use it to set a monthly average for that particular customer, structure or property. The usage charge will be multiplied against the average monthly water consumption measured in cubic feet as set forth above to calculate the sewer bill for the ensuing twelve-month period. In the event the customer, structure or property did not receive public water utility service during the immediately preceding November 15th to February 15th time frame, the customer may request at the time of initiation of service that billing be based on the city-wide average monthly usage rate; otherwise the city will calculate the billing on actual water use until such time as a full three-month average is determined and then use that average or the city-wide average by type of customer, whichever average is smaller. Each year the city will establish a new city-wide average monthly usage rate for the period commencing November 15th and ending February 15th for the purpose of establishing use charges for customers that do not have prior historical usage data.
(c) 
Effective November 1, 2002, all commercial customers shall pay a usage charge as provided for in the fee schedule found in appendix A of this code for every hundred cubic feet of water used each month. From the date of this subsection until November 1, 2002, commercial customers will be billed for every hundred feet of water used in accordance with subsection (b) above.
(2001 Code, sec. 13.1104; Ordinance 2017-10, sec. C, adopted 9/5/17)
(a) 
Water surcharge.
A usage surcharge shall be made each month or fraction thereof for water service within and outside the corporate city limits. This surcharge is distinct from and in addition to the water usage rates provided for in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code. The surcharge rate for the use of water shall be calculated in accordance [with the] scale provided for in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code.
(b) 
Sewer surcharge.
A sewer surcharge as provided for in the fee schedule found in appendix A of this code shall apply each month, or fraction thereof, for sewer service. This surcharge is distinct from and in addition to the sewer usage rates provided for in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code.
(2001 Code, sec. 13.1104.5)
All sewer and water accounts shall be mailed a statement on or before the first of each month. Payments shall be considered timely and not delinquent if the payment is received prior to 5:00 p.m. on the 10th day of the month. If the due date falls on a weekend or a legal city holiday, such time for payment shall be extended to the next business day. Accounts not paid by 5:00 p.m. on the due date will be assessed a late penalty of either ten dollars ($10.00) or 10% of the amount due, whichever is greater. Utility accounts which have not been paid by the 20th day of the month shall be subject to having services discontinued. Notwithstanding the above, on request of a person who furnishes proof that he or she is sixty years of age or older, payment shall qualify as prompt if received by 5:00 p.m. on the 25th day of each month. This delayed payment date shall be given only to a person who is a residential customer and who occupies the entire premises for which delay is requested.
(2001 Code, sec. 13.1105; Ordinance adopting Code)
(a) 
Within city limits.
A reconnection fee as provided for in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code shall be charged for reconnections made during normal working hours for service discontinued for reasons of nonpayment, and for reconnections made after normal working hours for services discontinued for reasons of nonpayment, for all reconnections made within the corporate city limits.
(b) 
Outside city limits.
A reconnection fee as provided for in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code shall be charged for reconnections made during normal working hours for services discontinued for reasons of nonpayment, and for reconnections made after normal working hours for service discontinued for reasons of nonpayment, for all reconnections made outside the corporate city limits.
(2001 Code, sec. 13.1107)
(a) 
Should any check for payment for water or sewer services be returned for any reason by the bank such check is written on, then in such event a returned check fee as provided for in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code shall be assessed against the customer for whose account such returned check was applied.
(b) 
The city staff are hereby authorized to refuse to accept personal checks from any customer who has at least two times in the previous twelve-month period issued the city a check that was returned to the city by the bank upon which such check was written.
(2001 Code, sec. 13.1108)
(a) 
On premises using water exclusively supplied by the municipal waterworks of the city, and having a water meter acceptable to the city council, the quantity of water used, as measured by said meter, shall determine the sewer charge thereon, as provided in this division.
(b) 
On premises using water exclusively supplied from other sources than the municipal waterworks where the quantity of water used thereon is not measured by a water meter or is measured by a water meter not acceptable to the city council, the owner or other interested party may be required, at his expense, to install and maintain an acceptable water meter, and the quantity of water used as measured by said meter shall determine the sewer charge, or said quantity of water used may be established by agreement between such owner or interested party and the city.
(c) 
On premises using water supplied in part by said municipal waterworks and in part from other sources not measured by a water meter acceptable to the city, such owner or other interested party may be required, at his expense, to install and maintain an acceptable water meter to measure water from such other sources, and the quantity of water used as measured by said meter, plus such measured quantity for the sewer charge as provided in this division, or the quantity of water used, may be established by agreement between such owner or interested party and the city.
(d) 
In the event it can be shown to the satisfaction of the city manager, with respect to any premises, that a portion of the water from any source used thereon does not and cannot enter the system, then, in each such case, the owner or other interested party may, at his expense, install and maintain separate water meters where necessary so as to show, to the satisfaction of the city, that portion only of the water used that is discharged into the system, and that quantity of water so used, as measured by such meter or meters showing discharge into the system, shall determine the sewer charge thereon, at the rates provided in this division, or, if the quantity of water being discharged into the system is established by agreement, such negotiated quantity, at the rate provided in this division, shall determine the sewer charges.
(e) 
The owner of any building or premises receiving water from any source other than the municipal waterworks shall register [the same with the city, and shall install, at his own expense] metering equipment satisfactory to the city to measure such private supply, or, at the option of the city, may establish by agreement the quantity of water to be discharged into the system; in an interim period allowed by the city council prior to such installation or agreement, the city council may establish such charges as it deems equitable.
(f) 
The owner of any residential dwelling receiving water from any source other than said municipal waterworks may, at the option of such owner, elect to be charged at the rate of one thousand six hundred cubic feet as the city may from time to time establish for such premises, in lieu of providing the metering equipment required in this section.
(2001 Code, sec. 13.1110)
The city manager and city finance director are authorized to modify the city’s utility billing format and procedures to provide utility account holders the opportunity to donate money in an unspecified amount to the Azle Memorial Library, animal shelter, parks, or Music in the Park program in the existing general fund when paying their monthly utility bill. The donations received from such utility billing process shall be dedicated to the specific fund designated herein, and shall be expended only for such purpose.
(Ordinance 2014-04 adopted 3/4/14)