The city has established its procedures, deposits, and fees
for city water and sanitary sewer services as set forth in the Code
of Ordinances of the city (the code), as amended from time to time
by subsequent ordinance. The purpose of this policy is to set forth
the procedures relating to delinquent charges for the city’s
water and sanitary sewer services, to set forth the city’s policy
and procedures for discontinuance (cutoff) of such utility accounts/service,
for reinstatement of utility accounts/service, and other related matters.
It is the intent of this policy to incorporate the provisions of article
291 of the TCEQ rules and regulations for water systems.
(Ordinance 840-2010 adopted 5/11/10)
(a)
There are four water districts in the city. The billing dates
for each district are as follows:
District
|
Billing Date
|
Due Date
|
Disconnection Date
|
---|
1
|
15th of each month
|
16 days after the billing date of the month**
|
26 days after the billing date of the month***
|
2
|
15th of each month
|
16 days after the billing date of the month**
|
26 days after the billing date of the month***
|
3
|
30th of each month *except February
|
16 days after the billing date of the month**
|
26 days after the billing date of the month***
|
4
|
30th of each month or *except February
|
16 days after the billing date of the month**
|
26 days after the billing date of the month***
|
*
|
February has 28 days or in leap year there are 29 days, for
the month of February the billing date and due date will always be
on the last day of February.
|
**
|
For the purpose of this section, the due date is 16-days from
the billing date at 5:30 p.m. unless the due date falls on a holiday
or weekend, then the due date for payment purposes is extended to
the next business day.
|
***
|
In this section, the disconnection date shall be the twenty-sixth
(26th) day after the billing date or ten (10) days after the 10-day
late notice is sent to the customer, whichever is later. If the disconnection
date falls on a holiday or weekend, then the disconnection will be
delayed to the next business day at 7:30 a.m.
|
(b)
Charges for the city's water and sanitary sewer services
furnished shall be due on the sixteenth (16th) day after the billing
date, unless the due date falls on a holiday or weekend, then the
due date for payment purposes is the next business day. The account
shall become past due sixteen (16) days after the billing date if
the city does not receive payment by no later than 5:30 p.m. on the
due date. If the customer fails to pay the bill by the due date and
has an account balance of $5.00 or greater, the account shall be assessed
a late charge of 10% of the past due amount or $5.00, whichever is
greater. Payments received in the mail drop box at city hall after
5:30 p.m. on the due date will be past due.
(c)
The water utility office will send out late notices to each
premises in which the account has become past due at the time the
account is assessed with the late charge. In addition to describing
the late charge, the late notice will advise the customer that if
the past due balance is not paid by the disconnection date, then such
delinquent utility accounts will be scheduled for disconnection at
7:30 a.m. the following day. If the disconnection date falls on a
holiday or weekend, then the disconnection will be delayed until the
next business day at 7:30 a.m. The account holder must contact the
utility office in order to make any payments or payment arrangements
prior to 5:30 p.m. on the disconnection date. Payments received in
the drop box after 5:30 p.m. on the disconnection date shall be scheduled
for disconnection.
(d)
If a customer's account is not paid by 5:30 p.m. on the
disconnection date and has an account balance of $20.00 or greater
or a written payment agreement with the city manager or designee has
not been made by the 5:30 p.m. on the disconnection date, the customer
will automatically be charged a $25.00 administrative fee and the
water service shall be disconnected on the following business day
beginning at 7:30 a.m. Payments received in the drop box after 5:30
p.m. on the disconnection date for an account with a balance of $20.00
or greater shall be scheduled for disconnection.
(Ordinance 1292-2020 adopted 9/22/20; Ordinance
1408-2024 adopted 2/6/2024)
(a)
In order to avoid utility service disconnection for a delinquent
account, the account holder must contact the utility office prior
to 5:30 p.m. on the disconnection date and make arrangements to pay
the utility charges.
(b)
The city maintains a form for such payment arrangements, and
any payment arrangement must be documented on that written form, which
is located at the city hall. The person whose name is recorded on
the utility account must sign the payment arrangement form or other
authorized responsible party as the responsible account holder including
but not limited to the spouse or other responsible party.
(c)
The city manager or designee is responsible for reviewing payment
arrangement requests and must approve the payment arrangements before
such arrangements are accepted on behalf of the city.
(d)
The city reserves the right not to approve any payment arrangement
in excess of four times in a calendar year or on any account that
has a history of delinquency or if the city official determines that
the reason for requesting a payment arrangement is not a legitimate
reason for an extension of time.
(e)
Payment arrangements with the city are allowed to be extended
for payment up to 20 days after the disconnection date and failure
to keep any payment arrangement with the city will result in disconnection
of utility service without further notification.
(f)
The city manager or designee can make deferred payment arrangements
exceeding thirty (30) days without city council authorization. Payment
arrangements in excess of thirty (30) days are required to be made
by written agreement signed by the account holder as the requestor
and authorized by the city manager or designee.
(g)
Payment arrangements are determined upon a case-by-case basis
and may be granted in length from 0 to 180 days unless otherwise approved
by the city council or during times that a disaster has been issued
giving the city manager authority to act alone during a proclaimed
disaster.
(h)
If a payment arrangement is not paid by 5:30 p.m. on the scheduled
date and has an account balance of $5.00 or greater by this date and
payment has not been made by 5:30 p.m. on the scheduled date, the
water service shall be disconnected on the following business day
beginning at 7:30 a.m. unless the disconnection date falls on a holiday
or weekend, then the disconnection will be delayed until the next
business day at 7:30 a.m. at the time of disconnection, the customer
will automatically be charged a $25.00 administrative fee and the
arrangement will be deemed a failed payment arrangement. After a failed
payment arrangement, a second request for a payment arrangement within
the same calendar year must be pre-approved by the city manager and
is subject to a 20 percent down payment. Any payment arrangement requests
within the same calendar year where there have already been 2 or more
failed payment arrangements could be denied for the remainder of the
calendar year.
(i)
Any appeal of the payment arrangement as determined by the city
manager or designee is to be made in writing to the city council.
The city council's decision is final.
(j)
The city reserves the right not to make payment arrangements
or approve any application for water and/or utility service when it
is discovered that the account holder is not the person currently
occupying the premises.
(Ordinance 1292-2020 adopted 9/22/20; Ordinance
1408-2024 adopted 2/6/2024)
If a person pays any charge with a check that is returned for
insufficient funds, an additional $25.00 charge will be assessed,
and the person must pay all the charges due at that time with a money
order, certified cashier’s check, or cash.
(Ordinance 840-2010 adopted 5/11/10)
The city manager or designee may refuse application for utility
service, discontinue utility service, or refuse to restore utility
service to:
(1) Any customer who fails to pay any charges due under the code or any
ordinance of the city, or as set forth in this policy;
(2) Any person making application for utility service at an address,
if the person has delinquent charges outstanding at another address;
or
(3) Any customer at any premises if the water superintendent or plumbing
inspector reports and confirms that a substantial waste of water or
a health hazard is occurring as a result of leaking, damaged, open,
or disconnected private laterals, pipes, or drains on the premises.
(Ordinance 1239-2019, sec. 69, adopted 8/13/19)
(a) After receiving written confirmation from county human services,
or other recognized organizations, for payment of a customer’s
bill, the utility office shall grant an extension to that customer
for the date indicated on the confirmation.
(b) The utility office may either make telephone calls or send out notices
as “door tags” prior to the termination of utility service
to any apartment building, funeral home, church, school, or commercial
business or establishment, that are on the cutoff list with 24-hour
notification that their utility service will be disconnected if payment
is not received by the utility office.
(Ordinance 840-2010 adopted 5/11/10)
(a)
All water accounts that are considered delinquent will be disconnected
as of 7:30 a.m. on the following business day after the disconnection
date unless the disconnection date falls on a holiday or weekend,
then the disconnection will be delayed to the next business day at
7:30 a.m.
(1)
Delinquent accounts are subject to be finaled 14 days following
disconnection of utility service unless all delinquency is paid in
full.
(2)
Once finaled the delinquent amount owed will be deducted from
the account deposit if there is sufficient amount from the deposit
to cover the delinquent amount. Remaining overages, if any, from the
water deposit after the delinquent amount is satisfied will be mailed
to the customer at their last known mailing address. If the amount
of the deposit does not cover the delinquency, the account holder
will be responsible for the amount due.
(b)
When it becomes necessary for the city to discontinue utility
service to an account holder for a delinquency in their utility account
or for nonpayment of bills, service will be reinstated only after
all fees and bills for service then due have been paid and any deposit
required has been made. Additional reasons for disconnection of service
are:
(1)
Suspicion of leak (meter dial spinning, water running down the
street, etc.);
(2)
Returned check not paid within 3 days of notification;
(3)
Customer request in writing;
(4)
Order of the building official due to substandard violations
that constitutes a structure being unsafe to occupy;
(5)
Failure to comply with the backflow assembly testing requirements performed by a certified and registered backflow prevention assembly tester in accordance with the TCEQ regulations (section
3.05.379 "testing of assemblies"); or
(6)
Backflow entering or threatening to enter the public water supply from any premises (section
3.05.397 "nuisance").
(c)
Authorized city personnel are not required to knock on the door
of customers for notification of service being discontinued.
(d)
No payments may be taken in the field and the city employee
will not delay the disconnection or return at a later time to allow
the customer to go make payment.
(e)
If the meter cannot be locked, the meter reader or authorized
city personnel will make a note for office personnel. Follow-up on
the account will be done on a daily basis to assure that the meter
has not been turned back on until such time that the meter reader
or authorized personnel can change out the meter so that it can be
locked.
(f)
In order to delay disconnection of water service for any reason
as provided for in this policy for an extended period up to 48 hours,
the account holder must provide a written and signed affidavit from
a physician. Extended time limits over 48 hours can only be approved
by the or city manager or designee and may require additional written
documentation of support from the attending physician in accordance
to law in order to be approved. All such extended requests are also
subject to ratification by the city council at the next regular council
meeting following the date of notice of extension by the account holder.
(Ordinance 840-2010 adopted 5/11/10; Ordinance 1239-2019, sec. 70, adopted 8/13/19; Ordinance 1408-2024 adopted 2/6/2024)
(a) Responsibility for leaks.
Responsibility for leaks lies
with the customer from the meter to the house. If the leak is on the
street side of the meter, it will not register on the meter and will
not affect the customer's bill. If the leak is on the customer's side
of the meter, it is the customer's responsibility to have it repaired
and no adjustment to the bill will be made except that a customer
may apply for an adjustment of the water bill for an account because
of a significant increase in water consumption that can be proven
to the city manager or his or her designee to be the result of a leak
past the water meter in the customer's water line serving the service
address. In order to qualify for an adjustment because of leaks, the
following conditions otherwise known as the city's leak adjustment
policy must be met:
(1)
The customer may apply for a leak adjustment on forms provided
by the city's water department;
(2)
The account is an active account in good standing with a separate
meter in which the customer has been at the same service address for
at least one year;
(3)
If it is a single-family residential account, the customer must
be living at the address and the account must be in the requestors
name or in the name of the authorized user;
(4)
If it is a commercial account, the account must be in the business
name and the authorized user may request the adjustment;
(5)
Leak must be repaired in a timely manner; if city staff notifies
customer of leak at the property, then the repairs need to be completed
in 60 days;
(6)
The account for the service address must have an increase in
consumption; or, usage for the billing period or periods for which
the adjustment is sought that exceeds the average of the (12) previous
billing periods by 33-percent or more;
(7)
The adjustment to water charges because of leaks shall be made
only once in a 12-month period at the service address and shall not
be for more than two consecutive billing periods where a 33-percent
or more increase in consumption occurs; and
(8)
It is the customer's responsibility to contact the permits department
to inquire into any permit requirements. Unpermitted repairs will
disqualify account from a leak adjustment.
(A) All leaks must be repaired fully prior to application;
(B) Any required plumbing permits must be obtained;
and
(C) Repairs requiring permit must pass inspection;
and
(9)
The customer presents a receipt showing payment for work repairing
leaks by a professional plumber at the service address within 30 days
from the time the adjustment is sought; or the customer presents a
receipt showing purchase of plumbing supplies and materials that would
be necessary for the repair of the leak within 30 days from the time
the adjustment is sought and if requested, furnishes proof to the
public works director or designee of actual parts and or pipe removed
from the system that exhibit damage sufficient to cause a significant
water loss; and
(10)
If the account qualifies for an adjustment, then the adjustment
will be made for the two (2) highest qualifying billing periods as
follows:
(A) The average consumption for the twelve (12) months
prior to the adjustment period shall be calculated and this average
rounded to the nearest cubic feet shall be subtracted from the actual
consumption for each billing period for which the adjustment is sought;
(B) The result shall be divided by two (2) for and
the resulting figure (amount of cubic feet of water) will be reimbursed
to their account one half the water loss of the 2 highest bills during
the "leak period";
(C) Penalties incurred on accounts while the adjustment
request is pending, may be considered to be waived;
(D) For single-family residential accounts only if the leak occurs in the sewer winter month averaging period (November, December, or January), the consumption for sewer calculations for those months shall be the adjusted amount in subsection
(10)(B) above rounded to the nearest 100 cubic feet in accordance to the sewer rate chart. There shall be no adjustment for sewer outside of the winter month averaging period;
(E) There shall be no adjustments for the sewer on
commercial accounts;
(F) With the winter averaging method of calculating
the sewer, the city does not make water adjustments for filling swimming
pools;
(G) Adjustments are not normally issued for sprinkler
head leaks, toilet leaks, dripping faucets or other above ground leaks
unless upon review by the city manager or his/her designee, it is
determined that an unusual situation has occurred. It is a defense
to the customer if a police report has been filed for criminal mischief;
(H) Prior history will be screened on an individual
basis to ensure that this policy is not being abused by individuals
who do not fix their leaks or make necessary repairs to mitigate leak
prone piping and expect adjustments every 12 months; and
(I) The application form shall contain a statement
setting forth an understanding that the application is a government
record subject to criminal prosecution for false statements under
chapter 37 of the Texas Penal Code, and the customer must state that
the application contains no false statements.
(b) Defective equipment.
If the customer questions the accuracy
or correctness of the water meter, the meter can be tested. If the
metering equipment is shown to be malfunctioning, the excess amount
as taken from the total cubic feet of water used shall be credited
to the customer’s account. If no error is found in the equipment,
the customer shall be charged a meter test fee as established by the
city code or by ordinance. In addition to the meter test fee, the
customer shall pay any actual costs as charged by any independent
testing companies utilized to test the meter.
(c) Misreads of meter.
If the customer establishes that
the meter has been over read, then the utility manager will make an
adjustment to the customer’s account based on the actual meter
reading differences.
(d) City council action.
Any customer disputing the correctness
of his bill or charges has a right to be heard by the city council.
Requests for delays or waiver of payment not in accordance with this
policy will not be considered; only questions of proper and correct
billing will be considered by the city council. If the customer requests
to be heard before the city council, the customer will be temporarily
removed from the cutoff list until the matter is resolved, if payments
are made during this time period. The customer will be required to
pay amounts on the disputed account equal to the amount of the same
month of the previous year’s bill pending resolution before
the city council. In the absence of payment of the bill rendered,
service will be discontinued at the specified time. Only the city
council may approve a reduction or waiver of fees and charges other
than as specified in this policy, and only when it is based on extraordinary
circumstances.
(e) Upon approval by the city secretary/assistant city secretary a late
fee can be waived once annually upon request by the account holder.
(f) Upon approval by the city secretary/assistant city secretary an administration
fee can be waived once annually upon request by the account holder
when there is acceptable written proof provided by the account holder
that justifies there being an unforeseen emergency resulting in the
account holder’s inability to pay the utility bill on time.
(Ordinance 840-2010 adopted 5/11/10; Ordinance 1180-2018 adopted 4/10/18; Ordinance
1239-2019, sec. 71, adopted 8/13/19; Ordinance 1295-2020 adopted 10/27/20; Ordinance 1363-2022 adopted 10/25/2022; Ordinance 1371A-2023 adopted 3/14/2023)
(a) Service for accounts turned off due to nonpayment will not be reconnected
until the delinquent bill is paid in full and only after all accounts
on the cutoff list have been disconnected, unless due to an office
error.
(b) Service will be restored within the same day the delinquent bill
is paid in full; however, bills paid after 5:00 p.m. in the drop box
or by web payment will not be restored until the next business day.
(c) If a customer is disconnected due to nonpayment and pays the delinquency
online, the customer is required to call the water department to get
reconnected.
(d) Someone over the age of 18 will need to be home to sign an affidavit
for the reconnection of water.
(e) If a door tag is received by the customer requesting reconnection
after payment and are not at the property to sign the affidavit; a
$15.00 fee (for each offense) will be added to the customer’s
account to be reconnected.
(f) If applicable, when water service has been disconnected due to nonpayment, there will be an additional charge for water turned back on after normal business hours as provided for in section
13.03.009 of this code.
(g) All applicable fees pursuant to section
13.03.009 of this code when applicable, including but not limited to a pull meter charge, upon approval by the city manager or his/her designee may be included on the next monthly bill.
(Ordinance 1077-2015 adopted 7/14/15; Ordinance 1239-2019, sec. 72, adopted 8/13/19; Ordinance 1354-2022 adopted 8/9/2022)
(a) When required, the applicant must first make application for a certificate
of occupancy inspection at the address the utility service is being
requested for.
(b) Applicant must file an application for water service with the water
utility office.
(c) Applicant must pay the most recently adopted utility deposit fee
and service charge as required by this code.
(d) Application for utility service, if applicable, includes the following:
(1) Applicant must provide a valid United States government issued or
consular issued photo identification card.
(2) Applicant’s telephone number.
(6) Date service will commence.
(7) Applicant’s signature required on application for water service,
indicating that applicant agrees to all of the provisions stated on
the application form.
(8) Applicant must provide a closing disclosure, current lease or current
property management agreement with his/her name on the paperwork.
Lease agreements must have the move in dates and list which party
is responsible for paying the utility bills.
(9) Proof may be required to substantiate that the person making application
for service is the same person, and that avoidance is not being attempted
in order to keep the previous person on the account that is still
living there from having to pay the delinquent bill on the account.
(e) When required, permanent water service cannot be commenced until
after the certificate of occupancy inspection is performed by the
city’s inspection department.
(Ordinance 840-2010 adopted 5/11/10; Ordinance 956-2012 adopted 10/23/12; Ordinance
1239-2019, sec. 73, adopted 8/13/19; Ordinance 1354-2022 adopted 8/9/2022)
(a) When new application is not accepted.
If water service
has been discontinued, refused, or noticed for discontinuance at the
premises, a new application will not be accepted from another person
to resume service under another name so long as the previous customer
continues to occupy or own the premises as his residence or place
of business until:
(1) Delinquent charges are paid;
(2) Arrangements for payment satisfactory to the city manager or designee
are made; or
(b) Avoidance.
This applies to premises where service is
being requested by another tenant to be transferred into their name
as the account holder with the intentions of avoiding payment or enforcement
of these provisions due to delinquent charges incurred by the previous
tenant or account holder.
(1) Proof may be required to substantiate that avoidance is not being
attempted in order to reactivate utility service at the address where
the utility service was disconnected due to delinquent charges.
(2) Applications for utility service where the service has been disconnected and finaled due to delinquent charges will require a new deposit including payment of the applicable deposit fee, administrative fee, pull meter charge (if applicable), and set meter charge (if applicable) as provided for in section
13.03.009 of this code.
(Ordinance 840-2010 adopted 5/11/10; Ordinance 1239-2019, sec. 74, adopted 8/13/19)
(a) Authority; exception for certain rental property.
The
city is authorized, in accordance with the provisions of section 402.0025
[552.0025], Texas Local Government Code, to perfect a lien upon property
for the purpose of securing the payment of delinquent charges incurred
as a result of water service to the property. This section does not
apply to delinquent charges for service incurred by a tenant who is
the customer of record, if the charges are incurred after the utility
manager has received written notice from the owner of the property
served that the property is rental property. The property owner may
deliver the notice personally to the utility manager or by certified
mail, return receipt requested.
(b) Notice of lien.
Before recording of a water lien, the
city secretary or designee shall send notice by certified mail, return
receipt requested, that a lien will be filed on the property in accordance
with law. The notice must provide a time, place, and means by which
the charges causing the lien may be paid or disputed. The notice must
be sent to the customer in whose name the account for service to the
property exists and to the last known record owner of the property
according to the tax rolls of the city, if the customer is not the
owner.
(c) Absence of notice.
Absence of receipt of notice does
not affect the enforceability of a lien.
(d) When lien is perfected.
The lien may be perfected when
charges incurred by a customer for water service become delinquent
and other means for collecting the delinquent charges have been unsuccessful.
(e) Form of lien.
The form of the lien must contain:
(1) A statement indicating the purpose of the lien;
(2) The address of the property, which is the subject of the lien, if
the address is ascertainable;
(3) A legal description of the property, which is the subject of the
lien;
(4) The amount of delinquent charges, including penalties, interest,
and collection costs, if any, incurred in connection with the property
as of the date of execution of the lien.
(f) Execution and recording.
The lien must be executed by
the city manager, acknowledged by a notary public of the state, and
filed in the deed or lien records of the county in which the property
is located. The filing fees will be paid by the city and included
as part of the lien charges.
(g) Priority of lien.
The lien is superior to all other
liens except a bona fide mortgage lien recorded prior to the recording
the city’s lien in the deed or lien records of the county in
which the property is located.
(h) Additional charges.
Should additional delinquent charges
be incurred subsequent to the date of the original lien’s execution,
a correction lien may be executed and filed in the same form, documenting
the additional charges. The correction lien, when filed of record,
shall relate back to the date of recording of the original lien and
shall become a part of the original lien.
(i) Suit to foreclose.
The city, upon direction of the city
council, may file suit to judicially foreclose the lien in a state
court of competent jurisdiction. The suit may not be filed earlier
than 60 days after the recording date of the lien.
(j) Release of lien.
Upon certification by the city secretary
that all delinquent charges, which existed against the property, have
been fully paid, the mayor is authorized to execute a release of the
lien. The release shall be filed in the deed or lien records of the
county in which the property is located.
(k) Cumulative remedies.
This section is cumulative of any
other remedies, methods of collection or security available to the
city under the ordinances of the city or under state law. This section
does not affect the authority of the city to refuse or to furnish
service when delinquent charges exist.
(Ordinance 840-2010 adopted 5/11/10; Ordinance 1239-2019, sec. 75, adopted 8/13/19)
It is the homeowner’s or authorized agent’s responsibility
to obtain the required plumbing permits in order to make any installation,
alteration, repair, and replacement or remodeling of any plumbing
system regulated by the Uniform Plumbing Code, as amended.
(Ordinance 840-2010 adopted 5/11/10)
(a) Upon the death of any utility customer, the administrator of the
deceased customer’s estate or relative of the deceased customer
has 45-calendar days from the date of death to change the name on
the utility account to the relative or administrator of the estate
and pay the required utility deposits.
(b) If the name is changed within the 45-calendar days, the meter will
be read and a final bill for the deceased customer will be generated
with any deposits paid by the deceased customer applied to the final
bill.
(1) Administrator of the deceased customer’s estate or relative
must provide the city with the appropriate address for the estate,
so that the final utility bill can be mailed to the appropriate address
for payment.
(2) Upon the date that the meter is read, the administrator or relative
will begin to receive the utility bill in his/her name.
(c) If the name is not changed within 45-calendar days, then the account
and corresponding utility service will be disconnected, and a final
bill generated with any deposits paid by the deceased customer will
be applied to the final bill. The final bill will be mailed to the
last known address.
(d) Exception.
(1) The living spouse of a utility customer who has become deceased is
required only to present a certified death certificate of the utility
customer who has become deceased in lieu of applying for new water
service.
(2) The city manager or designee may consider such factors including
probating wills and time involved in appointing administrators of
an estate and in such cases where that time limit would exceed the
45 days to be authorized without council approval to extend those
time limits accordingly up to a maximum of 180 days.
(Ordinance 1027-2014 adopted 6/10/14; Ordinance 1239-2019, sec. 76, adopted 8/13/19)
(a) Definitions.
Disabled individual.
Under this section means an individual that is authorized
by the Federal Social Security Administration.
Utility.
An electric, gas, water, or telephone utility operated by
a public or private entity.
(b)
Elderly individual.
Pursuant to the Utilities
Code in section 182.002 "delay of bill payment date for elderly individual,"
the delay of bill payment date for the elderly individual, upon request
by an elderly individual, a utility shall delay without penalty the
payment of a utility bill for providing utility service for that elderly
individual until the 26th day after the bill is issued as provided:
(1)
Late penalty waiver.
A customer who is 60 years
of age or older may request, in writing, a standing waiver of the
late penalty, for utility payments made after their due date. Late
payments will still initiate a late notice, and the actual payment
history will be recorded. Non-payment of the utility account by the
disconnect date on the late notice will result in disconnection. The
disconnection fee will not be waived.
(2)
Age must be verifiable.
Waiver applies only to
the account holder; account holder must occupy the entire residence
for which the delay is requested. A utility may require an individual
requesting a delay under this subsection to present reasonable proof
that the individual is 60 years of age or older.
(3)
Request for delay.
An elderly individual may request
that the utility implement the delay for the most recent utility bill;
or the most recent utility bill and each subsequent utility bill.
(4)
Certification of applicant.
A signature will be
required to certify that customer has met all of the provisions as
provided for in this section for the delay of bill payment date for
elderly individuals; and met the city requirements and certify that
they understand that the request is not transferable to any other
person or tenant and if for any reason the status as the occupant
ceases then any approval of this application is rescinded in its entirety.
(c) Disabled Individual.
A customer who is disabled, as authorized by the Federal Social Security Administration, may request, in writing, a standing waiver of the late penalty, for utility payments made after their due date as set forth above in subsection
(b) “elderly individuals.” Late payments will still initiate a late notice, and the actual payment history will be recorded.
(1) Non-payment of the utility account by the disconnect date on the
late notice will result in disconnection. The disconnection fee will
not be waived. A customer’s disabled status must be verified
by an award letter from the social security administration. Waiver
applies only to the account holder; account holder must occupy the
entire residence for which the delay is requested.
(2) A disabled individual may request that the utility implement the
delay for the most recent utility bill; or the most recent utility
bill and each subsequent utility bill.
(3) Certification of applicant.
A signature will be required
to certify that customer has met all of the provisions as provided
for in this section for the delay of bill payment date for disabled
individuals; and met the city requirements and certify that they understand
that the request is not transferable to any other person or tenant
and if for any reason the status as the occupant ceases then any approval
of this application is rescinded in its entirety.
(Ordinance 1344-2022 adopted 4/26/22; Ordinance
1408-2024 adopted 2/6/2024)