(a) 
Monthly rates.
(1) 
The monthly water rate or charges for services furnished by the city waterworks system shall be as follows:
$33.87 minimum monthly charge, including up to the first 2,000 gallons of water.
$3.62 per 1,000 gallons for the next 48,000 gallons of water.
$5.08 per 1,000 gallons for all water usage over 50,000 gallons of water.
$2.75 of the monthly minimum charge shall be set aside and allocated for maintenance and repair of water storage facilities and other water and sewer infrastructure maintenance, repair, replacement, construction and installation.
$5.00 of the monthly minimum charge shall be set aside and allocated for water automated metering infrastructure (AMI) maintenance, repair, replacement, construction and installation.
(2) 
Provided, however, the city agrees to provide the city’s cemetery association water only so long as existing city wells #1 and #2 can provide such water, such water to be provided at a monthly water rate or charge for services furnished by the city waterworks system, as follows:
$19.74 minimum monthly charge, including up to the first 2,000 gallons of water.
$1.44 per 1,000 gallons for all water usage over 2,000 gallons of water.
(3) 
Nothing herein shall require the city to make expenditures or improvements to the wells to maintain them in operating condition.
(4) 
Provided further, however, the city shall pay for all water used by the city at the rate of 67 cents per 1,000 gallons of water.
(b) 
Customers outside city limits.
The city shall collect for water service furnished to all customers connected outside the city limits of the city, in addition to the charges for such water service as set out in subparagraph (a) above, an additional charge equal to the basic rate for the category applicable to said customer.
(c) 
Water taps.
The city shall collect the following charges for water taps:
(1) 
For water taps inside the city limits:
3/4" tap
$131.00
1" tap
$221.00
1-1/2" tap
$367.00
2" tap
$488.00
(2) 
For water taps outside the city limits:
3/4" tap
$196.50
1" tap
$331.50
1-1/2" tap
$550.50
2" tap
$732.00
(d) 
Deposits.
Before furnishing water service to any person, firm, corporation, or other entity, the city shall require the following advance deposits to be made therefor:
(1) 
For apartment houses: $50.00 per apartment.
(2) 
For all other commercial users: The estimated billing for two months as solely determined by the city or the user may furnish city with an irrevocable letter of credit acceptable to the city in its sole discretion from a bank within the city, covering the estimated billing for two months.
(3) 
For all residential users other than apartment houses: $50.00 per meter.
(4) 
Customers who have not been delinquent in payment of billing for five years will receive a refund of their deposits.
(e) 
Late charge for delinquent bills.
All bills not paid by the 10th day following the mailing of the monthly bill to a customer by the city are delinquent. A late charge of 5% of the amount of the water bill for service will be made against all water bills not paid timely as herein set forth.
(f) 
Cut-off administrative fees.
If a customer is placed on the initial cut-off list by not paying said customer’s water bill before the same becomes delinquent, a cut-off list administrative fee of $3.50 will be charged to the customer and added to said customer’s water bill to be immediately due and payable.
(g) 
Reconnect fees.
If the cut-off list has been processed and delivered to a city employee for cut off of the electric service to a customer, a reconnect fee of $17.50 shall be required to be paid by the customer to discontinue the process of cutting off or reconnecting the electric service. If the customer requests that the electric service be reconnected after 5:00 p.m., and before 8:00 a.m., Monday through Friday, or on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday, the reconnect fee shall be $20.00, and such a requested reconnecting of electric service shall be contingent upon availability of city staff qualified to perform the reconnect.
(h) 
Return check fees.
A return check fee of $35.00 shall be charged and added to the water bill of the customer on all payments by check that are paid for any reason, including, but not limited to, checks which are not paid for insufficient funds in the account.
(i) 
Alternative water rates.
Under extraordinary or specific needs of a user, alternative water rates may be established in the best interest of the city and the user alike. The city manager has the authority to negotiate such matters.
(1977 Code, sec. 14-21; Ordinance 2012-13, sec. 2, adopted 9/11/12; Ordinance adopting 2013 Code; Ordinance 2015-08 adopted 9/15/15; Ordinance 2017-05 adopted 9/12/2017; Ordinance 2018-04 adopted 9/18/2018; Ordinance 2019-06 adopted 9/10/2019; Ordinance 2020-02 adopted 9/8/2020; Ordinance 2021-06 adopted 9/14/2021; Ordinance 2022-04 adopted 9/13/2022)
(a) 
It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to do, commit or assist in the commission of any of the following things or acts in the city:
(1) 
To open or close any fire hydrant or stop cock connected with the waterworks system, or lift or remove the covers of any gate valves or shutoffs thereof, without the permission of the director of public works, except in case of fire, and then under the direction of the officers of the fire department;
(2) 
To interfere with, tamper with, destroy, deface, impair, injure, or wantonly force open any gate, lid, or door, or in any way whatsoever destroy, injure, or deface any part of any engine house, reservoir, standpipe, elevated tank, meter, building or buildings, or appurtenance, fences, trees, shrubs, or fixtures or property appertaining to the waterworks system;
(3) 
To go upon or ascend the stairway or steps, on any elevated water storage tank or stand pipe of the waterworks system, except by permission of the director of public works;
(4) 
To place any telegraph, telephone, electric light pole, or obstruction whatsoever within three feet (3') of any fire hydrant;
(5) 
To resort to any fraudulent device or arrangement for the purpose of procuring water for himself or others contrary to city regulations or ordinances.
(b) 
Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provision of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction in municipal court shall be fined in accordance with the general penalty provision found in section 1.01.009 and each day’s violation of this section shall constitute a separate offense or violation of this section.
(Ordinance 2003-04 adopted 6/17/03)
(a) 
Separate metering required.
Each individual residence or building making connection with or receiving service from the city water system shall have a separate meter and no new connection shall be made by the city unless said individual residence or building is separately metered.
(b) 
Meter serving more than one residence, business or building, added minimum required.
In existing cases where more than one (1) residence, business or buildings is served by a single meter, the entire amount of water consumed and registered through such meter shall be billed to the meter and shall include an additional minimum for each and every other residence, business or building served by such meter, and such procedure shall continue until such are separately metered.
(c) 
Multiple businesses.
For the purposes of this section, multiple businesses shall be considered one business if there is at least 25% common ownership of the multiple businesses at the same location.
(Ordinance 2003-04 adopted 6/17/03)