All water service rates and charges may be billed on the same bill as, and collected together with, rates and charges for other city services. If all or any part of such bill is not paid, the city may discontinue any or all of the services for which the bill is rendered in the manner set forth in this article.
(District code Ch. 7 Art. I § 9.01)
The city shall issue bills for residential, commercial and all other forms of service rendered pursuant to this chapter at least every sixty days. The city may issue bills every thirty days for service rendered. In switching from one billing period to another billing period, the city may issue bills for a service period longer than thirty, but less than sixty days. Each bill shall specify the dates of the service period.
(District code Ch. 7 Art. I § 9.02)
A. 
The city shall bill the property owner directly for all service provided to the owner's property.
B. 
The property owner shall be liable for payment of all city charges regardless of whether the bill is sent to the owner's personal business or residential address, or to the address of the owner's property to which the service is supplied.
(District code Ch. 7 Art. I § 9.03)
The city's bill for service rendered is due and payable when received. Each bill shall specify the date it is issued. A bill shall be delinquent if payment for the entire amount of the bill is not received by the city by the later of:
A. 
The last day of the service period specified on the bill; or
B. 
Twenty-seven days after the date the bill is issued by the city.
(District code Ch. 7 Art. I § 9.05)
A. 
Basic Penalty. A one-time basic penalty of ten percent of the rate for one month shall be added to each delinquent bill for the first month the bill is delinquent.
B. 
Additional Penalty. After assessing the basic penalty provided in subsection A, thereafter an additional penalty of one-half percent per month for two months and thereafter one and one-half percent per month shall be added to all delinquent charges and basic penalties remaining unpaid, until the city council requests the city finance director to include the amount of all delinquencies on the bills for taxes levied against the appropriate premises as set forth in Section 13.04.720.
C. 
Partial Payment. Moneys paid where any portion of an account is delinquent shall first be credited to the delinquent portion of the bill and then to the current billing.
D. 
Basic penalty and additional penalty may be reduced in accordance with criteria authorized by the city council.
(District code Ch. 7 Art. I §§ 9.06—9.08; Ord. 03-04 § 3)
Delinquent charges remaining unpaid may be recorded as a lien with the county and, after recordation, shall constitute a lien upon all real property owned or thereafter acquired by the property owner in the city. The city shall include a statement to this effect on its bills to each property owner. The city may, from time to time, compile lists of such delinquent charges and record them with the county recorder as liens. Any fees paid by the city to the county in connection with such liens shall be reimbursed to the city by the property owner and shall become part of any such lien recorded.
(District code Ch. 7 Art. I § 9.09; Ord. 92-16 § 5)
All rates, charges, penalties and interest which remain delinquent as of June 30th of each year may be collected in the same manner as the general taxes for the city for the forthcoming fiscal year, as follows:
A. 
The city shall prepare a written report, which shall be filed by the city clerk. The report shall describe each parcel of real property for which there are any delinquencies in any rates or charges for services rendered to each parcel during the preceding year, and the amount of the delinquency. The report of delinquent water charges may be combined with the report of any other delinquent charges, as long as the report identified the delinquent charges for each service for each parcel.
B. 
The city clerk shall publish notice of the report's filing and of the time and place of hearing on the report, prior to the date set for the hearing. The notice shall be published at least once a week for two weeks. The city clerk shall also mail written notice of the report's filing to each property owner whose property or parcel is identified as being subject to delinquent charges setting forth individually each property and each of the services and charges due for that property.
C. 
At the time stated in the notice, the city council shall hear and consider all objections or protests, if any, to the report concerning the delinquencies. Thereafter the city council may adopt, revise, change, reduce or modify any delinquency or overrule any or all objections thereto. The city council shall then make its determination on each delinquency identified in the report; the city council's determination shall be final.
D. 
Following the city council's hearing, on or before August 10th of each year, the city clerk shall file with the finance director a copy of the report, signed by the city clerk, stating the city council has adopted the report. The city clerk shall request the finance director to include the amount of delinquencies on the bills for taxes levied against the properties identified in the report.
(District code Ch. 7 Art. I § 9.10)
The city may test meters at any time and shall test a meter upon the written request of a customer who first deposits twenty-five dollars with the city. If the test indicates the meter is registering within five percent of accuracy, the testing fee will be retained by the city to cover its cost of testing. If the test indicates the meter is more than five percent in error, the testing fee shall be refunded to the customer and the city shall repair or replace the meter at its discretion. If the meter error is over five percent in the customer's favor, the city shall refund to the customer the estimated overcharge for a period of two billing cycles immediately preceding the meter testing. If the error is in the city's favor, a supplemental bill may be rendered to the customer equal to the difference between the customer's average bill for the preceding two billing cycles.
(District code Ch. 7 Art. I §9.11)
The manager may adjust or grant rebates from the rates or fees provided in this chapter in the event of a dispute relating to a charge to a customer; provided, however, that all parties affected shall have a right to appeal the manager's determination to the city council within seven days after receipt of the manager's written decision. The decision of the city council thereon shall be final and binding on all parties.
(District code Ch. 7 Art. I §9.12)