(a) 
Rates and charges provided for under this chapter shall become due upon receipt, and such bill shall be paid by the customer of such service at the utility office of the city or other designated place authorized to receive utility payments.
(b) 
Should a bill for charges or rentals for water and water-related service remain unpaid after fifteen (15) days from the date of issuance, a late charge shall be imposed on the total amount of the balance outstanding for utility service. A late charge shall be equal to five percent (5%) of the total balance due and shall be automatically added to the customer’s utility account.
(c) 
An eligible residential customer may apply in writing to GEUS’ customer service supervisor for waiver of a late charge for current billings only. To be eligible for a late charge waiver, an applicant must present satisfactory proof of eligibility for Medicare benefits, Medicaid/SSI benefits, AFCD benefits, or if not eligible for Medicare, participation in any other recognized retirement system, or proof that the occupants of the household only receive one total payment per month. Such waiver would not apply to any account that carries a prior balance or resides in a billing cycle that normally is mailed the week before or the week of the date the customer receives their monthly payment. The late charge waiver, if granted, applies only to one residential account carried in the name of the applicant or the spouse of the applicant. Proof of eligibility must be provided annually. Late charge waiver accounts are to be paid in full monthly prior to the next billing date and are subject to nonpayment fees, disconnection of service and increased deposit amounts.
(d) 
As used in this chapter, date of issuance shall mean the date when a bill is placed in the United States mail, properly addressed to the customer.
(e) 
The utility office manager shall have authority to waive late charges and nonpayment fees for any customer who has had active service for at least twelve (12) months and has not been late paying within the preceding twelve-month period. Requests for removal must come within sixty (60) days of the charges being applied.
(f) 
No temporary checks will be accepted on any accounts and no out-of-state checks will be accepted by GEUS for residential customers.
(a) 
On or about the nineteenth (19th) day after a bill for water service is mailed, if payment has not been received in the utility office of the city, a disconnection notice shall be mailed to the customer. The deadline for payment of the balance due shall be specified on the disconnection notice and shall be not less than five (5) days nor more than seven (7) days after the mailing of the notice. Upon a failure to pay a utility account, the city manager or his authorized representative, for and on behalf of the city, shall have the authority to order utility service provided under such account disconnected and discontinued until the appropriate service charges for reconnection of such service have been paid to the utility office of the city, together with all delinquent charges due upon the account. If payment is not received in the utility office of the city by the date specified in the disconnection notice, a nonpayment fee as provided in section A20.03.002 of the fee schedule in appendix A to this code shall be added to the customer’s account and the service shall be scheduled for disconnection on the next working day. The nonpayment fee shall apply even if service is not disconnected. In addition, any and all service charges associated with the disconnection or reconnection of service shall apply in all cases, even if payment is received after the date specified in the disconnect notice. The utility office manager reserves the right to forego or postpone disconnection of service if the prior balance is an amount as provided in section A20.03.002 of the fee schedule in appendix A to this code. If residential utility service is disconnected for nonpayment, any reconnection made after regular hours or on weekends or on holidays will be subject to an additional charge as provided in section A20.03.002 of the fee schedule in appendix A to this code. Commercial reconnects made during the days of the week Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., shall be charged a fee as provided in section A20.03.002 of the fee schedule in appendix A to this code. No commercial reconnects will be performed after hours. Payments received after hours by the police station will require an additional fee as provided in section A20.03.002 of the fee schedule in appendix A to this code.
(b) 
No agreements to extend service or credit to a residential customer shall be made except in case of actual emergencies, upon prior approval of the utility office manager or his or her authorized representative. Extensions of not more than fourteen (14) calendar days from the last day to pay will only be allowed for two (2) billings during a rolling twelve (12) month period. No extensions will be allowed on first bills nor extensions on top of extensions, nor bills containing additional deposits.
(c) 
The utility office manager or his or her authorized representative may order and direct that services be discontinued at any location by the disconnection of service at the water meter or by removal of the water meter when physical evidence shows that the water meter has been subjected to tampering. The phrase, “when physical evidence shows that the water meter has been subjected to tampering,” shall mean any one or all of the following: (1) water meter is found to have been removed; (2) water meter plug is found to have been removed; (3) water meter has been turned on after being turned off by city employees or personnel for termination of service or disconnection for nonpayment; (4) any foreign object is found to have been inserted; (5) any foreign substance is found to have been injected into any such meter; or (6) any adjustment is found to have been made in the mechanism of any such meter. The finding at any time of any fact, circumstance or condition on or about any such water meter that tends to show or evidence that any act or acts have been committed or performed in violation of any portion or portions of this section shall be and constitute prima facie evidence and create an evidentiary presumption of knowledge on the part of the person having subscribed for water service through any such water meter, or the person having the custody or management of the building, room, or place for which such subscription for any service is made, or the performance or commission of any such act or acts prohibited under this code. Such subscriber or other person shall be deemed to have or caused to occasioned the performance or commission of any such prohibited act or acts. Upon finding evidence of meter tampering, a criminal complaint will be filed with the appropriate law enforcement agency.
(d) 
The utility office manager or his or her designee may order and direct that services be disconnected at any location when payment on account has been made by worthless document.
(e) 
The service charge for reconnecting services after disconnection authorized under subsection (c) shall be as provided in section A20.03.002 of the fee schedule in appendix A to this code and shall be reconnected only during regular working hours between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. during the days of Monday through Friday and not on holidays observed by the personnel or employees of the utility office. The service charge provided herein shall not be construed as an assessment of a fine as provided by section 1.01.009 of this code.
(f) 
The utility office manager or his or her authorized representative shall be entitled to bill and collect from the customer, under the proper rate schedule, for all water usage not recorded on the meter by reason of such tampering or interference with such meter, for a period of the service up to six (6) months, the amount of which may be estimated by the city from the best available data.
(g) 
If a customer fails to pay for all bills for municipal utility service, upon recommendation of the city manager, the city shall impose a lien against the property to which the service was provided, unless it is a homestead as protected by the state constitution, for delinquent bills for municipal utility service to the property.
(h) 
The lien shall not apply to bills for service connected in a tenant’s name, after notice by the property owner to the city that the property is rental property.
(i) 
The lien shall not apply to bills for service connected in a tenant’s name prior to the effective date of this section (ordinance adopted July 26, 2005) imposing the lien.
(j) 
The lien shall be perfected by recording, in the real property records of the county where the property is located, a notice of lien containing a legal description of the property and the utility’s account number for the delinquent charges. The lien may include penalties, interest, and collection cost.
(k) 
The lien is inferior to a bona fide mortgage lien that is recorded before the recording of the lien in the real property records of the county where the property is located. The lien is superior to all other liens, including previously recorded judgment liens and any liens recorded after the lien.
(l) 
Upon the request of the city manager or his designee, the city attorney is authorized to take all action necessary, including the filing of suit as the city attorney, in his discretion, deems necessary to collect past due utility bills.
(m) 
Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, once all arrearage, penalties, damages and other sums of monies expended by the city for the discontinuance, insuring of continued discontinuance, or reinstatement of said utility service are paid in full, utility service may be reinstated to the person for whom payment is made.
(n) 
Upon finding evidence of meter tampering, the account may be placed on “cash only.” If evidence is found, additional times, the account may be placed on “permanent cash only” and the meter tampering fee shall be twice the amount of the current tampering fee each time.
(Ordinance 17-037, ex. A, adopted 9/26/17)
No service shall be furnished to any person who is delinquent in the payment of any bill for city-provided services furnished on the premises to which city-provided services are desired or to any other premises in the city unless an agreement for a payment plan is executed and approved by the customer service manager.
(Ordinance 20-015 adopted 3/5/20)
All meters, as nearly as possible, shall be read once a month and bills rendered therefor. If the meter reader is unable to procure a reading of the meter, because ingress to the meter is obstructed in any manner, or entrance to the premises is made precarious by a vicious dog, or otherwise, an estimated charge shall be made of the amount of water consumed. A fee as provided in section A20.03.004 of the fee schedule in appendix A to this code may be applied each month after a customer has been notified in writing or in person of the obstruction.
(Ordinance 05-088, sec. 1, adopted 7/26/05)
(a) 
Where utilities are used in the construction or repair of property, same shall be charged against the owner of the property. Where such utility service has not been turned on by the utility office for use on the premises, same shall not be turned on until such charge is paid. Where utility service is already turned on, and where such charges are not paid, it shall be turned off in the same manner as may be turned off for any other delinquency in payment.
(b) 
Where utility service has been discontinued by the water department and it is subsequently found that additional utility service has been used, and where application has not been made, the same shall be charged against the owner of the property and service shall not be turned on for a new applicant until payment is made or agreed to for the utilities used while the property was apparently unoccupied. Where it is determined that the property was occupied without application, the utilities used shall be charged to the new occupant.
(1990 Code, sec. 8.1200)
(a) 
There is hereby established a service charge as provided in section A20.03.006 of the fee schedule in appendix A to this code which shall be levied and assessed by the utility office of the city when an account for any water or sewer service is provided, furnished or sold by said city or an account for any electric, water, sanitary sewer, garbage or other service provided, furnished, sold, rendered or collected for by said city is paid or satisfied, or attempted to be paid or satisfied, in whole or in part, by the making, drawing, uttering or delivery of any check, draft or order for the payment of money on any bank, person, firm or corporation at a time when the maker, drawer or pay or thereof does not have sufficient funds in or on deposit with such bank, person, firm or corporation for the payment in full of such check, draft or order, as well as all other outstanding checks, drafts or orders upon such funds then outstanding, or is returned unpaid for any other reason, which said service charge shall be billed to and become a part of the account for which any such check, draft or order was given in satisfaction therefor if the city incurs a nonsufficient fee.
(b) 
Regardless of any agreement by and between an owner and occupant, such service charge shall be billed against, and collected from, the individual, association or corporation using the utility or solid waste collection service in payment for which such check, draft or order was made, drawn, uttered or delivered. Any such charge shall be due on the billing date as shown on the statement and shall be payable on or before the tenth (10th) day thereafter, and the same shall be chargeable as a lien or legal charge against the deposit made for the security of payment of a utility account. Upon a failure to pay any such charge when due, the city manager or his or her authorized representative, for and on behalf of the city, shall have the right and authority to order any utility service or services provided by said city discontinued until such charge is paid to the utility office of the city.
(c) 
Any residential or commercial customer having paid a first bill or deposit with a check or other bank drafting instrument that is not honored by the bank or online pay service for any reason may be placed on “cash only” status for a period of twelve (12) months and the customer may be required to increase his/her deposits as provided in section 20.02.036(a)(4)(G) of this code.
(d) 
Any residential or commercial customer having paid a bill not subject to subsection (c) with a check or other bank drafting instrument that is not honored by the bank or online pay service for any reason twice within a twenty-four (24) month may be placed on “cash only” status for a period of twelve (12) months from the date the last nonsufficient payment was presented and may be required to increase his/her deposits as provided in section 20.02.036(a)(4)(F) of this code.
(e) 
Any residential or commercial customer having presented a single check or other bank drafting instrument that is not honored by the bank or online pay service for any reason after having been placed on “cash only” status previously may be placed “permanent cash only” status.
(Ordinance 17-037, ex. A, adopted 9/26/17)
(a) 
Where there are different consumers liable for any city utility charges, and where one (1) or more consumers so liable leaves such premises, such consumers so leaving shall not be supplied with city utilities at the new premises occupied by them until all accounts due by such persons shall have been paid. Where any consumer is liable to the city for such charges at one (1) place, and is thereafter located using city utilities at some other place, the city utilities shall be turned off at the new location until all valid accounts past due are paid.
(b) 
Where two (2) or more families occupy the same house or apartment, and the water account is in the name of one (1), and the one (1) in whose name the account stands moves away, the remaining family is also responsible for the unpaid city utility bills.
(c) 
Should any person move into any premises supplied with water from the city mains, without making a written application in the manner provided therefor, and use water, such person shall become responsible for all water used from the date of the last reading previous to his or her occupying said premises, and the failure to pay same shall be cause for disconnecting such service until the amount due is paid.
(d) 
Where city utilities are supplied to more than one (1) family or occupant through a single service pipe on which there is a meter, the city will not undertake to apportion the charges for such use of city utilities among the several owners or occupants through whose premises such service pipes pass, and in such cases each separate owner, occupant or family shall be subject to the minimum charge heretofore specified.
(Ordinance 05-088, sec. 1, adopted 7/26/05)