(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)