(a) 
All owners or occupants of buildings, or agents for the said owners, situated in any section of the city where sanitary sewer now exists, or where it may hereafter exist, and where the property line of the land on which any such building is situated approaches or extends to within one hundred (100) feet of any such sewer are hereby required to construct or cause to be constructed suitable water closets on their property, and connect the same with the city sewer, under the supervision of the city water superintendent.
(b) 
It shall be the duty of any such property owners or agents of same or occupants of such property to keep and maintain said water closet and connection thereof in perfect condition, and free from any obstruction, and it shall be unlawful for any person or persons to build or use any privy vault above or below the ground in the city or any lot or parcel of land, the property line of which, at any point, extends to within a distance of one hundred (100) feet of any city sanitary sewer. All persons now having such privies in such localities are hereby required to abate the same within thirty (30) days after notices, by the city health officer, to do so, and to construct and to put in water closets and connect the same with the city sewer, as required by this article.
(1995 Code, sec. 11.301)
It shall be unlawful for the owner or occupant of any building situated on a lot, extending within ten (10) feet of any sewer of the city, any portion of which said house is used for any purpose, during any portion of the day, to fail to have at least one (1) water closet connected with the city sewer within thirty (30) days after notice from the city health officer, to do so, and to fail to have said water closets suitably arranged for the use as urinal, unless a separate urinal is provided.
(1995 Code, sec. 11.302)
It shall be unlawful for the owners and occupants of any building, situated within one hundred (100) feet of any sanitary sewer, in which said building, food is cooked or clothing is washed, to fail to have a suitable sink or hopper for the reception of wastewater, provided, however, that if the water closet is of the kind suited to such use it may receive the wastewater, and the sink or hopper may be dispensed with.
(1995 Code, sec. 11.303)
It shall be unlawful for any person to throw, or allow any person under his or her control, to throw or deposit on the surface of the ground, or in any hole or vault, in or under the surface of the ground, on any lot reaching within one hundred (100) feet of any city sanitary sewer, except in the proper and necessary manuring of the soil, any water, which has been used for domestic purposes, or any liquid or solid filth, feces, or urine.
(1995 Code, sec. 11.304)
It shall be unlawful for any person to throw or deposit, or cause or permit anyone, under his or her control, to throw or deposit in any city sewer, or in any vessel or receptacles connected with any city sewer, any garbage, hair, ashes, fruits, or vegetable peelings, or refuse rags, cotton, cinders, or any other matter whatsoever, except feces, urine, the necessary closet paper and liquid slops.
(1995 Code, sec. 11.305)
It shall be unlawful for any person to refuse or fail to connect all washstands or slop stands in his or her house or yard with the city sewer, or to allow any slops, wash or wastewaters of any kind to flow over the pavement or into any open gutter or into the street.
(1995 Code, sec. 11.306)
(a) 
Residential rates.
A minimum charge of nineteen dollars ($19.00) per month for each dwelling unit. This minimum charge shall encompass the first one thousand (1,000) gallons of water used by customer, after which two dollars and twenty-five cents ($2.25) will be added for each additional one thousand (1,000) gallons of water used. ‘Dwelling unit’ for the purposes of this article means any residential house, apartment or place of abode where, in a single unit, is contained the living quarters in which a domestic consumer may reside. Rates hereinafter set forth shall be applicable whether or not dwelling unit is connected to the city’s sanitary sewer line by a separate tap or is serviced by one main connection with other dwelling units.
(b) 
Business and commercial rates.
A minimum charge of nineteen dollars ($19.00) per month shall be assessed each business or commercial unit which uses up to one thousand (1,000) gallons of water per month; after which two dollars and twenty-five cents ($2.25) will be added for each additional one thousand (1,000) gallons of water used. ‘Unit’ for the purposes of this article means any business or commercial establishment. Rates herein set forth shall be applicable whether or not the business or commercial establishment is connected to the city’s sanitary sewer line by a separate tap or is serviced by one main connection with other units.
(c) 
Billing for sewer shall be on the same bill as water and garbage.
If the bill is not paid by the fifteenth (15th) of the month, a late charge of ten percent (10%) shall be added to the amount payable. Users with delinquent accounts of ten (10) days will be notified in writing by the city that water and/or wastewater services will be terminated unless the account is paid in full.
(d) 
Bulk slug rates.
Ten dollars for every thousand gallons.
(Ordinance 86-01-09-19 adopted 1/9/19)
Every person who omits or refuses to comply with or who resists or willfully violates any of the provisions of this article, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor.
(1995 Code, sec. 11.308)
(a) 
Notice required.
If by the payment date shown on a utility bill or a notice of rejection the city secretary has not received complete payment of the amount(s) shown on the bill or the notice, the city secretary shall mail to or personally serve upon the customer a notice of termination at least three (3) days after the payment date.
(b) 
Contents of notice.
The notice of termination shall contain the following:
(1) 
The amount to be paid;
(2) 
The date of the notice of termination;
(3) 
The date of the termination, which shall be at least five (5) days from the date of the notice of termination;
(4) 
Notice that, unless the city receives complete payment of the amount shown prior to the date of termination, service shall be terminated;
(5) 
Notice that, in lieu of paying the entire amount shown, a residential customer, prior to the date of termination, may notify the city secretary that he disputes the correctness of all or part of the amount shown, if all or part of the amount shown was not the subject of a previous dispute under this article.
(c) 
Failure to remit payment or dispute charges.
If, prior to the date of termination, the city secretary has not received complete payment of the amount shown on the notice of termination, or the residential customer has not notified the city secretary that he disputes the correctness of all or part of the amount shown on the notice of termination, then the service shall be terminated on the date of termination.
(d) 
Payment prior to termination date.
If the city secretary receives payment of the entire amount shown on the notice of termination prior to the date of termination, such payment shall be considered a timely and complete payment for purposes of this article.
(e) 
Cutting and plugging connections.
The authority to discontinue service includes the right to cut and plug water or wastewater connections to private property. The cost of cutting and plugging connections will be charged to the customer in addition to the delinquent charges due.
(f) 
Restoration of service.
Discontinued service will not be restored until the customer, owner or some other person either pays all charges due (including the charges to restore connections, a reconnection fee and a security deposit in the amount specified), or, where applicable, ceases violation of the particular code previously in question. The decision to restore service while delinquent charges or code violations still exist rests solely with the city council.
(g) 
Exceptions to notice requirement.
Notice as provided in this section does not apply to discontinuance of service resulting from a violation of this chapter if the city council determines that immediate discontinuance is necessary to prevent an imminent threat or occurrence of:
(1) 
Harm to the health or safety of persons;
(2) 
Damage to city or private property; or
(3) 
Contamination of the water system.
(h) 
Discontinuance of service at customer’s request.
Upon a customer’s request, service may be discontinued. However, the customer is liable for all charges incurred prior to removal of the meter.
(i) 
Remedies cumulative.
Enforcement of this section does not waive any additional remedies, civil or criminal, available to the city under law.
(Ordinance 86-01-09-19 adopted 1/9/19)
(a) 
Authority.
The city is authorized, in accordance with provisions of Local Government Code, section 552.0025, to perfect the lien upon property which occurs as provided in this article, for the purpose of securing the payment of delinquent charges incurred as a result of service to the property.
(b) 
Execution and recording.
The lien must be:
(1) 
Executed by the city secretary and acknowledged by a notary public of the state; and
(2) 
Filed in the deed or lien records of the county in which the property is located.
(c) 
Additional charges; correction lien.
Should additional delinquent charges be incurred subsequent to the date of the original lien’s execution, a correction lien may be executed and filed, fixing the additional delinquent 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.
(d) 
Release of lien.
Upon certification by the city secretary that all delinquent charges which existed against the property have been fully paid, the city secretary is authorized to execute a release of the lien. After execution, the city secretary shall deliver the release to the customer to be filed in the deed or lien records of the county in which the property is located.
(e) 
Form of notice.
Prior to recording of the water lien, the city secretary shall send notice, by certified mail, return receipt requested, that a lien will be fixed 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. The notice must be sent to:
(1) 
The customer in whose name the account for service to the property exists; and
(2) 
The last known record owner of the property according to the tax rolls of the city.
(f) 
Failure to receive notice.
Absence of receipt of notice does not affect the enforceability of a lien perfected under this section.
(g) 
This section shall not mean to require a customer to pay for utility service previously furnished to another customer at the same service connection as a condition of connecting or continuing service.
(Ordinance 86-01-09-19 adopted 1/9/19)