A utility service establishment charge shall be imposed for each customer's service order for all utilities provided by the City of Tacoma as set forth below:
A. 
A utility service establishment charge shall be paid by each utility customer at the time of the service request. The charge includes turn-on and turn-off services if required. The establishment charge shall be as indicated in the table below for each service:
Power (metered)
$10.50
Water (metered)
$6.10
Solid Waste
$3.00
Wastewater
$1.00
Surface Water
$1.00
Such utility service establishment charge will be allocated to, and recorded as revenue for City tax purposes by each utility providing service.
Such utility service establishment charge will be allocated to, and recorded as revenue for City tax purposes by each utility providing service.
B. 
Adjustments/Fees. A service charge shall be paid by each utility customer if a field call is required to adjust service to a new or different type of service or rate, or for turn-off or turn-on of service. For purposes of this chapter, normal City business hours means 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except City recognized holidays. The service charge shall be the sum of the following applicable fees:
1. 
$10.00 for collection or disconnection for nonpayment.
2. 
$12.00 for service connection during normal City business hours.
3. 
$60.00 for turn-on or turn-off during all other hours.
4. 
Plus an additional $194.50 for a pole or underground reconnection during normal City business hours and $264.00 for a pole or underground reconnection during all other hours.
5. 
$6.00 for failure to appear for utility turn-on.
6. 
$137.50 for self cut-in investigation.
7. 
$5.00 for verification of meter reading at the customer's request after second reading within 12 consecutive months.
8. 
$5.00 for lock-out during a reasonable attempt to read a meter.
9. 
$5.00 for service provided to prepare information for collection on accounts closed over 30 days.
10. 
$10.00 for service provided to prepare information for bankruptcy administration.
Effective January 1, 2021, a $15.00 recurring billing cycle fee shall be charged for service provided for Opt Out of Advanced Metering Infrastructure. The low-income senior and/or disabled discount rate percentage, as specified in Section 12.06.165C, shall be applied to the Opt-Out fee for qualified eligible customers as determined by Section 12.06.165.
There will not be a disconnection or connection fee charged if the action may ordinarily be performed remotely. Such adjustment charges will be allocated to and recorded as revenue for City tax purposes by each utility providing service.
C. 
Reconnection fees resulting from delinquency cut-offs shall be as follows:
1. 
$12.00 during normal City business hours and $60.00 during all other hours.
2. 
$194.50 for a pole or underground reconnection during normal City business hours and $264.00 for a pole or underground reconnection during all other hours.
There will not be a reconnection fee charged if the action may ordinarily be performed remotely. Such reconnection fees will be allocated to and recorded as revenue for City tax purposes by each utility providing service.
The disconnection, reconnection, or collection fees set forth in Sections 12.01.010B.1 and 12.01.010B.2, Section 12.01.010C.1, and Section 12.01.020 will not be charged if the fees are due to non-payment between March 17, 2020, and May 31, 2024, and the non-payment is connected to an extended payment arrangement for balances incurred by the utility customer prior to March 31, 2022.[1]
The outside of normal business hours disconnection or reconnection fees set forth in Sections 12.01.010B.3 and 12.01.010C.1 will be waived one time per customer if the fees are due to non-payment between March 17, 2020, and May 31, 2024, and the non-payment is connected to an extended payment arrangement for balances incurred by the utility customer prior to March 31, 2022.[2]
[1]
Code Reviser’s note: The temporary, two-year waiver of certain fees was in effect through 2024-05-31 (Ord. 28812).
[2]
Code Reviser’s note: The temporary, two-year waiver of certain fees was in effect through 2024-05-31 (Ord. 28812).
(Ord. 23337 § 6, 1985-09-10; Ord. 24965 § 1, 1991-08-27; Ord. 26076 § 1, 1997-06-03; Ord. 27025 § 1, 2002-12-10; Ord. 27137 § 1, 2003-09-09; Ord. 28726 Ex. A, 2020-12-15; Ord. 28812 Ex. A, 2022-04-26; Ord. 28846 Ex. A, 2022-11-22; Ord. 28995 Ex. A, 2024-12-03; Ord. 29026 Ex. A, 2025-03-25)
A charge of $10.00 shall be imposed on the customer when a field call is necessary to collect or results from a delinquent utility bill, not-sufficient fund check, deposit, dishonored credit card, debit card, or Automated Clearing House (ACH) payment request and/or a delinquent residential energy conservation loan payment. The utility field collection call charge will be allocated to, and recorded as revenue for City tax purposes by, each utility providing service in the same ratio as Department credit and collection costs.
(Ord. 23337 § 6, 1985-09-10; Ord. 24965 § 2, 1991-08-27; Ord. 27025 § 2, 2002-12-10)
A. 
Invoices for City utility services may be issued by mail and/or electronic means. Any invoice shall be deemed issued on the date it is deposited in the United States Post Office with postage paid and/or electronically made available by Customer Services for customer review, and such methods of issuance shall be evidence of receipt of the invoice by a customer.
B. 
A late payment fee will be assessed for delinquent utility account invoices(s) for City residential utility customers, the late payment fee will be assessed on each invoice that is not paid in full within 30 days from the date issued. For all other City utility customers the late payment fee will be assessed on each invoice that is not paid in full within 24 days from the date the invoice is issued. The late payment fee shall be as follows:
Utility Amount Balance
Late Payment Fee
$0 - $9.99
$0
$10.00 and over
1% of balance with a $3.00 minimum
After the initial delinquency and failure to pay, the late payment fee shall compound on a monthly basis at the above-stated rate or 1 percent per month, whichever is more. The fee will be assessed on the past due balance, and each utility will receive the portion assessed for its past due balance.
The late payment fee will be allocated to, and recorded as revenue for City tax purposes by each utility providing service.
C. 
Notwithstanding TMC § 1.06.226, and except as otherwise provided in this Code or applicable state law, utility service charges or fees due and owing the City may be waived or adjusted by the Director of Utilities, or by the Director of Environmental Services Department as the case may be, or their respective designees by express delegation. Such waiver or adjustment authority may only be exercised under the following circumstances:
1. 
Amounts billed to an eligible residential utility customer, pursuant to TMC §§ 12.06.165, 12.08.360, 12.09.090 and/or 12.10.400 who (1) qualifies as low income, (2) receives supplemental security income, or (3) is disabled and receives federal or state funds;
2. 
Late payment fees billed to a customer that is a public agency or Indian Tribe and that, due to governmental or similar processing delays, has substantial difficulty in paying accounts within 30 days;
3. 
Amounts billed in error or in cases where written evidence has been presented demonstrating such irregularity that waiver or reasonable adjustment is necessary to avoid substantial injustice to the Customer; or
4. 
Pursuant to written procedures promulgated by the Director of Finance and approved by the Director of Utility and the Director of Environmental Services Department.
D. 
Notwithstanding TMC § 1.06.226, and except as otherwise provided in this Code or applicable state law, the Director of Utilities, with regard to power, water and rail services, and the Director of Environmental Services Department, with regard to wastewater, stormwater and solid waste services, and their designees, are authorized to approve a credit or refund to any utility customer for amounts paid and received and determined by the Director, or designee, to have been billed in error by the City and that are in excess of the true amount due and owing. The Directors are further authorized to establish policies and procedures governing the approval of any such refund or credit.
(Ord. 23337 § 6, 1985-09-10; Ord. 24965 § 3, 1991-08-27; Ord. 27025 § 3, 2002-12-10; Ord. 28160 Ex. A, 2013-07-09; Ord. 28415 Ex. A, 2017-03-21; Ord. 28778 Ex. A, 2021-09-21)
A. 
Late payment charge. A customer who fails to make full payment of any scheduled payment due for his or her Light Division (d.b.a. Tacoma Power) residential weatherization loan within 48 hours of delivery of a Disconnect Notice shall be assessed a late payment charge of $25.00 for each such late payment. This late payment charge shall be in addition to and not mutually exclusive of any other City loan collection remedies including, but not limited to, termination of utility service and/or acceleration of the entire outstanding loan balance.
For City tax purposes, the late payment charge will be allocated to and recorded as revenue of the Department of Public Utilities, Light Division.
B. 
Document recording charge. City Light Division residential weatherization loans shall be secured by a lien against the real estate benefited, and a charge shall be imposed for the costs of recording said lien and/or for recording formal releases of such liens, which charge shall be included in the total repayment amount for the loan. These recording charges shall be equal to the amount established in RCW 36.18.010 currently in effect on the date of loan approval or payoff, as appropriate.
C. 
Subordination agreements. In the event the City is requested to subordinate a previously recorded real estate lien securing a customer’s Light Division residential weatherization loan, the following prepayments shall be required as consideration for approval of such request(s):
1. 
For a customer’s first subordination request, and provided the City’s lien position remains the same, a prepayment amount of $250.00 shall be collected and accounted toward the outstanding balance of such customer’s weatherization loan balance at the time of subordination. If the City’s lien position is adversely affected by such subordination, an additional prepayment of $100.00 shall be required;
2. 
For a customer’s second or further request for lien subordination, a prepayment of $250.00 or 25 percent of the outstanding balance of such customer’s residential weatherization loan balance shall be collected at the time of subordination, whichever amount is greater, regardless of a change in the City’s lien position. This amount shall be credited toward the customer’s weatherization loan balance.
In the event that a customer’s residential weatherization loan or electric utility bill payment history is marginal or poor, as determined by the Light Division Superintendent or his or her designee, the City may deny any lien subordination request in its sole discretion and nothing herein shall be construed to mandate approval of such subordination request(s).
(Ord. 27025 § 4, 2002-12-10)
Pursuant to Washington State Constitution Article VIII, section 7, and RCW 35.92.380, upon request, the Director of Utilities is authorized to waive all electric and water connection and inspection fees for cities (including the City of Tacoma) within Tacoma Power and Tacoma Water service territories that are providing facilities for sheltering low-income and/or infirm persons. Such authority is contingent upon the city passing an ordinance declaring a state of public health emergency. This section shall sunset pursuant to the requirements of Ordinance No. 28637, passed by the City Council on November 17, 2019.
(Ord. 28440 Ex. A, 2017-07-18; expired 2017-10-09; extended by Ord. 28487 Ex A, 2018-02-06; Ord. 28577 Ex. A, 2019-03-26; Ord. 28642 Ex. A, 2019-12-17)