The City Council shall establish fees, rates and charges by resolution to cover the cost of water delivery, water system maintenance, operations, administration, capital expenditures and/or debt service.
(Formerly 13.05.230; Ord. 241 § 23, 2000; Ord. 356 § 1, 2017)
Those parcels connecting to a water main constructed as part of a public-private partnership subject to a reimbursement agreement are subject to the costs identified in the reimbursement agreement in addition to the City's current water capital connection charges at the time of connection.
(Ord. 372 § 1, 2019)
(1) 
All water billing shall be monthly based on meter reading which will commence approximately three weekdays prior to the end of each month, with billings scheduled for posting and delivery on the first day of each month. Utility bills are due and payable upon receipt.
The City may read water meters on a bimonthly basis. If a bimonthly meter reading schedule is established, monthly bills shall be calculated as set forth by resolution duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Rio Dell.
Utility bills not having been paid by the twenty-sixth of the month shall be considered delinquent and no further notice is required other than the said next following billing reflecting two months of service are outstanding.
(2) 
Water service billing shall be assessed against the person or persons who reside in or otherwise occupy the premises being served and are identified as the same having completed an application for water service as a nonowner resident of the premises, and after submitting a deposit as established by resolution of the City Council against any water charges sustained during the said nonowner's occupancy or control of the said premises, whereupon the said depositor shall receive a numbered receipt which shall be required to be presented at demand of all or any part of any refundable balance of said deposit remaining after any and all current water service charges have been deducted; provided, however, that the person or persons who reside in or otherwise occupy the premises shall be liable for any and all unpaid water service charges not paid by the said nonowners or remaining after full deposit amounts have been applied to any outstanding water service billings.
(3) 
Should any particular monthly meter reading not be possible, due to malfunctioning equipment, temporary inaccessibility or other reason that prohibits meter reading, each such account shall be billed for the total minimum rate until such time as the problem is resolved and monthly meter reading can be resumed. The City may remove any obstruction that prohibits meter reading at the sole expense of the consumer.
(4) 
City water users on meters outside the City limits shall pay for service as contained in RDMC § 13.05.240 and all other requirements of this chapter shall be enforceable as a condition of service thereto.
(5) 
Any water service situation not specifically covered in any section of this chapter will be reviewed and handled on a case-by-case basis as determined by the Public Works Director, with resultant fees, if involved, established on an equitable basis with those rates herein established.
(6) 
Failure to receive a bill does not relieve the consumer of liability for payment of any amounts due by this chapter.
(Formerly 13.05.250; Ord. 241 § 24, 2000; Ord. 243 § 1, 2002; Ord. 356 § 1, 2017; Ord. 372 § 1, 2019; Ord. 380 § 1, 2020)
Rates and charges which are not paid on or before the date of delinquency shall be subject to a penalty of 10 percent, and thereafter shall be subject to a further penalty of one-half of one percent per month on the first day of each month following.
(Formerly 13.05.260; Ord. 241 § 25, 2000; Ord. 356 § 1, 2017; Ord. 372 § 1, 2019)
(1) 
In the event that any nonresidential consumer is delinquent in the payment of their water bill, and payment in full is not received within 10 calendar days from the said second billing, then shut-off notices shall be sent and the Department shall have the right forthwith and without further notice to discontinue water service to the premises of such delinquent consumer.
(2) 
Residential water service may only be discontinued for nonpayment in accordance with the policy on discontinuation of residential service for nonpayment adopted by formal resolution of the City Council, as the same may be amended from time to time.
(3) 
The City may remove any obstruction that prohibits access to the meter for discontinuance of water service at the sole expense of the consumer.
(Formerly 13.05.270; Ord. 241 § 26, 2000; Ord. 356 § 1, 2017; Ord. 372 § 1, 2019; Ord. 380 § 1, 2020)
There shall be herewith established a connection fee for use when service is disconnected because of failure to pay City utility bills, payments are delinquent, or for other reasons including but not limited to vandalism of City-owned property, meters, or system piping, and when abandoned services are requested to be reactivated. The delinquency reconnection fee shall be established by resolution by the City Council, plus actual costs involved in the reconnection. Reconnections requested between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. on weekdays, any time on weekends or holidays, shall be assessed an additional fee as established by resolution of the City Council.
(Formerly 13.05.280; Ord. 241 § 27, 2000; Ord. 356 § 1, 2017; Ord. 372 § 1, 2019)
If water service is cut off or discontinued for failure to pay delinquent bills, or for any reason, such service may again be established only in the event the consumer or the owner of the premises served pays all outstanding bills, penalties and charges as may be required by this chapter or City policy.
(Formerly 13.05.290; Ord. 241 § 28, 2000; Ord. 356 § 1, 2017; Ord. 372 § 1, 2019; Ord. 380 § 1, 2020)
If any consumer has been found to connect to the Rio Dell water system without authorization, either without first establishing service or following disconnection for delinquency, the City shall disconnect said service and assess a penalty established by resolution of the City Council plus costs. This penalty is in addition to any reconnection fees, penalties, outstanding utility bill balances and legal action that may be taken against said consumer.
(Formerly 13.05.300; Ord. 241 § 29, 2000; Ord. 356 § 1, 2017; Ord. 372 § 1, 2019)
Every request that is made by a residential consumer for an extension of payment period of such bill asserted to be beyond the means of the customer to pay in full during the normal period for payment shall be reviewed by the City Manager or the City Manager's designee. The review shall include consideration of whether the consumer shall be permitted to amortize the unpaid balance of the account over a reasonable period of time, not to exceed six months. Granting of a payment extension and discontinuation of services for failure to pay shall be in accordance with the policy referenced in RDMC § 13.05.280(2).
(Formerly 13.05.310; Ord. 241 § 30, 2000; Ord. 356 § 1, 2017; Ord. 372 § 1, 2019; Ord. 380 § 1, 2020)
[1]
Code reviser's note: Ord. 372 renumbered this section to be 13.05.320. It has been editorially changed to 13.05.315 to prevent duplication of numbering.