(a)
On and after the 1st day of July, 1917, all water sold or furnished
by the city shall be paid for at the meter rate hereinafter fixed.
(b)
All meters shall be put in and connected up under the direction and
in conformity with the rules and regulations of the water department.
(c)
No person, unless properly authorized by the city council, shall connect, remove, repair, or otherwise disturb any water meter, and any person who shall violate the provisions of this section shall be subject to a fine in accordance with the general penalty provision found in section 1.01.009 of this code.
(d)
The occupants of any building or premises where a meter is located
shall see that the meter is kept and remains free from obstruction
on or around the same and is conveniently accessible at all times
for the purpose of reading, inspecting or repairing. The water shall
be turned off from any meter that shall not be so kept and shall not
be turned on again until this section is complied with and the cost
of turning water off and on is paid. A charge as provided for in the
fee schedule found in the appendix of this code shall be paid to the
city collector of the water works before the water shall be turned
into supply pipe.
(e)
All water meters and water fixtures, appliances and appurtenances
on private premises connected with the city water system shall be
open to inspection by the proper employees of the city at all reasonable
and ordinary hours. Any leaky service pipe leading to a meter shall
be properly repaired on notice being given by the city authorities
or water will be shut off.
(f)
Any person who shall turn the supply of water to a service pipe from which the supply has been turned off by the city on account of nonpayment of water rents, or for any other reason without first having obtained a permit to do so, from the proper city officers, shall be fined in accordance with the general penalty provision found in section 1.01.009 of this code.
(g)
Where more than one building or apartment, or other subdivision of
space in any residence, is used as a business, or a commercial building
serving as more than one business and/or a residence is maintained
in the commercial building, and said residence or commercial building
is served by one meter, commercial utility rates will be charged and
will be collected by the secretary and collector of the water works.
(h)
The secretary and collector of the water works shall determine the
size and type of meter installed or used on any water service, and
where more than one service is furnished through any one meter he
shall determine the number of minimum rates, which shall apply to
such meter account. Where water is supplied to more than one 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 water among the several owners, occupants or families, but the
bill for such use of water will be charged against the owner or occupant
through whose premises such service pipes pass and in such case each
separate owner, occupant or family shall be subject to the minimum
charge hereinbefore specified.
(i)
All meters, curb cocks, valves and meter boxes, connected with the
city water works, mains and service pipes including those furnished
at the expense of consumers (if any), or property owners, shall remain
under the direct control of the secretary and collector of water works
and it shall be unlawful for any person or persons other than those
authorized by the secretary or the collector of the water works to
connect, disconnect, move or tamper with any such meter, or to turn
on or off the water at the curb cock, valve or meter, or to open,
move or tamper with any meter box.
(j)
It shall be unlawful for any person to take or use water from the
system of the city water works except under the terms and conditions
specified in this section. All owners and occupants of property are
hereby prohibited from furnishing water to any person for any purpose
other than is specified herein without the written consent of the
secretary and collector of the water works.
(k)
All meters furnished by the city water works shall remain at all
times the property of the city and shall be maintained and repaired
when rendered unserviceable through fair wear and tear and renewed
by the city water works. When replacements, repairs or adjustments
of any meter are rendered necessary by the act, neglect or carelessness
of any owner or occupant of any premises, any expense caused to the
water works thereby shall be charged against and collected from such
owner of the premises and if not paid services shall be discontinued.
(l)
It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to willfully or negligently
waste water in any manner whatsoever and any person having knowledge
of any waste shall immediately notify the secretary and collector
of the water works.
(m)
Unlawful use of water.
(1)
It shall be unlawful for any person to injure, damage or tamper with
any water meter placed on any service pipe in the city or under its
authority, or for any person to make a connection with any service
pipe without first having obtained a permit from the secretary and
collector of the water works or to change service connection so as
to avoid the registration of water used by such consumer or remove
any meter placed by the city or to substitute any meter for the city’s
meter.
(2)
It shall be unlawful for any person, persons or corporations to sell
water for domestic or commercial purposes within the corporate limits
of the city, without first receiving a permit to do so from the city
secretary. Any person, persons, or corporations desiring to engage
in the selling of water within the city must file a written application
for permit with the city secretary, pay an annual permit fee of $100.00
or furnish verification of remitting Texas Sales Tax and comply with
the following conditions:
(A)
Provide source water quality testing certification per TCEQ requirements. Any person or persons violating any of the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished by fine in accordance with the general penalty provisions found in section 1.01.009 of this code and each and every separate offense shall be subject to a separate fine.
(1993 Code, art. 11.200; Ordinance 284 adopted 3/15/12; Ordinance 302 adopted 4/17/14)
Effective June 1, 1992 and thereafter, the city administrator
shall assess and fix rates and fees for the use of the city water,
sewer, and disposal systems by any person or persons, partnership,
company association, institutions, government agency, and/or corporation,
who had made connection or who has applied for a permit for connection
with the city water systems, or sewer system, for service to his,
their, or its property. Rates shall be as provided for in the fee
schedule found in the appendix of this code.
(1993 Code, sec. 11.301)
(a)
The city secretary shall be responsible to the city council for the
collection of all water and sewer charges, fees, permits, and tapping
charges assessed to any person, company, association, institution,
government agency, and/or corporation who uses the water and sewer
services of the city. The city secretary shall assign city employees
to read the water meters on or before the 15th day of each month,
and prepare a statement to each user billing said user for water consumption
for the previous month; the monthly statement shall also bill the
consumer and/or user for monthly sewer services, sanitary services,
and other charges authorized by order of the city council.
(b)
The city secretary shall mail statements to each user and consumer
of city services by the 1st day of each month, following the date
of reading said water meter; said water, sewer and other charges are
payable to the city, by the 15th day of the current month; any person,
or persons, partnership, institutions, government agencies, company,
association and/or corporation who fails to pay said statement on
the 15th of each month shall be charged a 10% late fee.
(c)
If the bill is not paid in full by the last day of the current month,
service will be disconnected unless said user is granted an extension
by the city secretary. If service is disconnected due to nonpayment,
the account will be finaled and the entire balance owed on the account
must be paid in full before water service will be restored. A new
deposit based on customer history will be due along with the completion
of new account paperwork. The city secretary shall have the authority
to institute any necessary legal action to collect any delinquent
account owing to the city, including imposing a property lien for
delinquent city utility services owed to the city per LGC section
552.0025.
(d)
Any person leaving the city with a bad debt, and later returning
and wanting services restored, shall be required to pay all outstanding
debts and put up a security deposit based on customer history.
(e)
Any customer that pays with an insufficient check will be charged
additional fees for this check, which is found in the fee schedule,
as set out in section A13.002. The service for an account, which is
paid with a bad check, must be disconnected immediately until all
fees are collected.
(f)
A deposit is required on all new accounts and reconnects. The deposit
required shall be based on customer history, outstanding balances
and management discretion.
(Ordinance 361 adopted 11/29/21)
Any person, or persons, partnership, institution, government
agencies, company, association, and/or corporation who may require
city water and/or sewer service, shall make an application to the
city administrator for a permit to make connection of his, their,
or its premises to the city water and/or sewer mains; upon payment
of the water and/or sewer tapping fee and deposit for a water meter,
the city administrator shall issue a permit to such applicant to authorize
said applicant’s premises to be connected to the city water
and sewer mains. Upon discontinuance of service to the owner of said
premises, the city administrator shall refund the meter deposit to
said owner of said deposit after payment of the final charges for
water and/or sewer services.
(1993 Code, sec. 11.303)
The city water department shall be under the control and jurisdiction
of the city water superintendent. The water superintendent shall be
responsible for the proper operation of the entire water system, which
includes the filter and pumping plant at the city lake, as well as
at other points; the water superintendent shall with the assistance
of city employees inspect and maintain the water plant, the water
distribution lines, surface and elevated reservoirs, water meters,
and all other appurtenances to said water system, reservoirs and lakes;
said inspection and maintenance shall be performed from time to time
to insure an adequate supply of water to the city for its users and
consumers at all times. The water superintendent and the employees
of the water department shall comply with all city, county, state,
and federal health and water regulations and laws in the maintenance
and operation of the water system.
(1993 Code, sec. 11.304)
The city sewer and disposal system shall be under the control
and jurisdiction of the sewer superintendent; it shall be his responsibility
to maintain and operate the city sewer system and disposal plant to
conform to all city, county, state and federal regulations and laws
to insure a safe and reliable operated sewer and disposal system for
the users of said system at all times.
(1993 Code, sec. 11.305)
