The city shall bill each customer monthly for all water services
rendered in the preceding month. All bills shall be due on the due
date as specified on the bills and shall become delinquent if not
paid as set forth on the bills. For accounting purposes only, and
with city council approval, the city may write off accounts receivable
over ninety (90) days past due. This shall in no way relieve the past
due customer of any liability for payment. The city will turn all
overdue accounts over to a collection agency for appropriate action.
(Ordinance 11-O-32 adopted 12/6/2011; 2009 Code, sec. 13.05.031)
A late charge as set forth in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code shall be added for each monthly billing date the delinquent amount, including delinquent fees and charges, remains unpaid. The city reserves the right to waive any late charge or penalty for good cause and when the best interest of the city is served by such waiver.
(Ordinance 11-O-32 adopted 12/6/2011; 2009 Code, sec. 13.05.032; Ordinance adopting 2023 Code)
(a)
If a water bill remains delinquent for fifteen (15) days, water service
may be discontinued by the city in accordance with this subsection.
Prior to termination, the customer shall be notified of the amount
due by a written notice sent by United States mail, first class, or
by email if the customer has enrolled in paperless billing. The notice
shall state the date upon which water service shall be terminated;
the date shall be not less than seven (7) days from the date such
notice is sent. Such notice shall state the time and place at which
the account may be paid and that any errors in the bill may be corrected
by contacting the city’s representative, whose telephone number
shall also be given in the notice. Provided, however, that in the
event the customer contacts the city’s representative within
such seven (7) day period, the city may, at its option, allow the
customer to make arrangements to pay the delinquent amount in installments
to be approved by the city’s representative. In addition, the
notice renders the entire account delinquent, and the entire account
must be paid in full in order to avoid interruption of service.
(b)
The city reserves the right to take and apply any portion of a customer’s
water security deposit against delinquent amounts due and owing to
the city under this article.
(c)
In unusual circumstances and in limited cases wherein it is determined
that a hardship exists, the city manager, or his/her designee, may,
at his/her discretion, enter into a written agreement with a customer
for extended or installment payments for the overdue amount.
(Ordinance 11-O-32 adopted 12/6/2011; 2009 Code, sec. 13.05.033; Ordinance 22-O-07.13-001 adopted 7/13/2022; Ordinance adopting 2023 Code)
Water service shall be discontinued in accordance with this
section for any account for which a check for payment has been dishonored
by the financial institution. Three days prior to termination, the
customer shall receive a notice placed by the city’s representative
at the customer’s service address. Payment by the customer who
has presented a dishonored check shall be made by cash, money order,
or cashier’s check. Personal checks will not be accepted. The
city further reserves the right to charge a customer paying a bill
with a check which is dishonored an amount established from time to
time by the city, which amount shall be based on the prevailing or
usual charges made for dishonored checks and drafts by other vendors
in the same general area as the city.
(Ordinance 11-O-32 adopted 12/6/2011; 2009 Code, sec. 13.05.034)
The city reserves the right to institute suit for the collection
of any amounts due and unpaid, together with interest thereon at the
maximum legal rate, plus court costs and reasonable attorneys’
fees.
(Ordinance 11-O-32 adopted 12/6/2011; 2009 Code, sec. 13.05.035)
