(1) 
Rates, charges and billings are established by resolution. All sewer billing shall be monthly to coincide with water billing, scheduled for posting and delivery on the first day of each month following water meter readings. Utility bills are due and payable from the first day of each month at the Rio Dell City Hall.
Utility bills not having been paid by the twenty-sixth of the month shall be considered to be delinquent and no further notice will be provided other than on the said next following billing reflecting that two months of service are outstanding.
(2) 
Sewer service billing shall be assessed against the person or persons who reside in or otherwise occupy the premises being served and identified as the person or persons having completed an application for sanitary sewer service as a nonowner resident of the premises, and after having deposited $200.00 as surety against any sewer service charges sustained during the said nonowner occupancy or control of the said premises, whereupon the depositor shall receive a numbered receipt which shall be required to be presented at demand of all or any part of a refund of any balance of deposit remaining after any and all current sanitary sewer service charges are satisfied.
However, and notwithstanding the above, owners of real property rented, leased, occupied or in any manner controlled by nonowners shall be liable for any unpaid sewer service not paid by the said nonowners, with such unpaid amounts due and payable prior to any continued use of any said premises, and the water to such premises shall therefore also be discontinued in order to cause the sewer service to become inoperable pending settlement of outstanding utility bills. A list of delinquent accounts will be forwarded to the Humboldt County Auditor to be added to other taxes imposed on the delinquent parcel and collected in the same manner and to the same extent as such other taxes.
(3) 
In any case where customers are served by the Rio Dell sewer system, the customer shall pay rates as established by resolution.
(4) 
Any consumer required to pay for sewer services in accordance with this section who commences service on or after the sixteenth day from the last monthly meter reading shall pay a rate for that month of only 50 percent of the required rate for the full month.
Any consumer required to pay for sewer service in accordance with this section who discontinues service on or before the fifteenth day from the last meter reading shall pay a rate for that month of only 50 percent of the required rate for the full month.
(Ord. 190 § 23, 1987; Ord. 207, 1991; Ord. 210 §§ 1, 2, 1991; Ord. 231 § 1, 1995; Ord. 248 § 1, 2003; Ord. 286, 2012; Ord. 322 § 1, 2014; Ord. 380 § 1, 2020)
Rates and charges which are not paid on or before the date of delinquency shall be subject to a basic penalty of 10 percent, and thereafter an additional 10 percent of each month's charge for each month of delinquency; provided, that if Government Code Section 54348 is amended to allow for a greater penalty, the City Council may establish a penalty in the amount allowed by Section 54348. In addition to the basic penalty, there shall be a penalty of one-half of one percent per month for nonpayment of the charges and basic penalty.
The City may initiate proceedings in accordance with Government Code Sections 54354 through 54357 to have such delinquent costs and penalties assessed against the real property or premises where the service is provided to become a lien against the property. The lien shall be turned over to the County Assessor who shall enter the lien on the assessment rolls as a special assessment, thereafter to be collected at the same time and in the same manner as ordinary municipal taxes, to be subject to the same penalties and procedure under foreclosure and sale as provided by the Government Code and as provided for ordinary municipal taxes.
(Ord. 320 § 1, 2014)
(1) 
In the event that any nonresidential customer is delinquent in the payment of their sewer bill, the Department shall have the right forthwith and without further notice to discontinue water service to the premises of such delinquent customer.
(2) 
Residential water service may only be discontinued for nonpayment in accordance with the policy on discontinuation of residential water service for nonpayment adopted by formal resolution of the City Council, as the same may be amended from time to time.
(Ord. 190 § 24, 1987; Ord. 286, 2012; Ord. 322 § 1, 2014; Ord. 332 § 1, 2015; Ord. 380 § 1, 2020)
In the event that any non-water account customer shall be delinquent in the payment of his or her sewer bill twice in succession or three times in a 12-month period, the City may initiate proceedings to have such delinquent charges, late penalties, and roll change costs (figured on a flat rate based on the average residential usage in the City) lump sum assessed against the real property or premises where the service is provided to become a lien against the property.
The lien shall be turned over to the County Assessor who shall enter the lien on the assessment rolls as a special assessment, thereafter to be collected at the same time and in the same manner as ordinary municipal taxes, to be subject to the same penalties and procedures under foreclosure and sale as provided by the Government Code and as provided for ordinary municipal taxes.
(Ord. 332 § 2, 2015; Ord. 335, 2015)
(1) 
When the City elects to use the tax roll on which general City taxes are collected for the collection of current or delinquent sewer service charges, proceedings therefor shall be had as now or hereafter provided therefor in Article 4, Chapter 6, Part 3, Division 5 of the California Health and Safety Code.
(2) 
The powers authorized by this section shall be alternative to all other powers of the City and alternative to procedures adopted by the City Council thereof for the collection of such charges.
(Ord. 399, 2023)
(1) 
A written report shall be prepared and filed with the City Clerk which shall contain a description of each parcel of real property receiving such services and facilities and the amount of the charge for each parcel for the forthcoming year computed in conformity with the charges prescribed by this chapter.
(2) 
The City Clerk shall cause notice of the filing of the report and of the time and place of hearing thereon to be published once a week for two successive weeks prior to the date set for the hearing published in a newspaper of general circulation, printed and published within Humboldt County. Prior to such hearing for the first time, the City Clerk shall mail a notice in writing of the filing of the first report proposing to have such charges for the forthcoming fiscal year collected on the tax roll and of the time and place of hearing thereon, to be mailed to each person to whom any part or parcel of real property described in the report is assessed in the last equalized assessment roll on which general City taxes are collected, at the address shown on the roll or as known to the City Clerk.
(Ord. 399, 2023)
(1) 
At the time of the hearing, the City Council shall hear and consider all objections or protests, if any, to the report referred to in the notice and may continue the hearing from time to time.
(2) 
Upon the conclusion of the hearing on the report, the Council will adopt, revise, change, reduce, or modify any charge or overrule any or all objections and shall make its determination upon each charge as described in the report, which determination shall be final.
(Ord. 399, 2023)
On or before the tenth day of August in each year following the final determination of the Council, the City Clerk shall file with the Auditor a copy of the report with a statement endorsed thereon over his signature that it has been finally adopted by the Council of the City, and the Auditor shall enter the amounts of the charges against the respective lots or parcels of land as they appear on the current assessment roll.
(Ord. 399, 2023)
If water service is cut off or discontinued for failure to pay delinquent City utility bills, such service may again be established only in the event the customer or the owner of the premises served pays all outstanding bills, penalties and charges as may be required by this chapter, RDMC § 13.05.290 or City policy.
When an owner or customer has been delinquent in his sewer bills twice in succession or three times in any one 12-month period, he shall be required to pay a late payment fee of $10.00. Said late payment fee shall be increased by $10.00 for each succeeding late payment, up to a maximum fee of $200.00. Thereupon and not otherwise will water service again be made or established to the premises where the bill has been delinquent (thus allowing sewer service).
(Ord. 190 § 25, 1987; Ord. 286, 2012; Ord. 322 § 1, 2014; Ord. 380 § 1, 2020)
The Council may adopt reasonable charges and fees for reimbursement of costs of setting up and operating the City's pretreatment program which may include:
(1) 
Fees for wastewater discharge permit applications including the cost of processing such applications.
(2) 
Fees for monitoring, inspection, and surveillance procedures including the cost of collection and analyzing an industrial user's discharge, and reviewing monitoring reports submitted by the users.
(3) 
Fees for reviewing and responding to accidental discharge procedures and construction.
(4) 
Fees for filing appeals.
(5) 
Other fees as the City may deem necessary to carry out the requirements contained in this section. These fees relate solely to the matters covered by this chapter and are separate from all other fees, fines, and penalties chargeable by the City.
(Ord. 286, 2012; Ord. 322 § 1, 2014)