For the purpose of billing, all flat rate accounts
shall be divided as directed by the Common Council to provide an even
volume of work within the Department of Public Works' organization.
Said flat rate rents shall be billed and payable quarterly.
For the purpose of meter reading and billing,
all metered accounts shall be divided as directed by the Common Council
to provide an even volume of work within the Department of Public
Works' organization. All metered water accounts shall be billed and
payable quarterly.
All charges for repairs, new taps, connection
and disconnection, etc., shall be paid within 30 days after the bill
is rendered.
Water may not be supplied to, and it may be
turned off from, any premises, the owner of which is delinquent in
the payment of bills or is indebted to the Department of Public Works
for materials, supplies, work done or in any other manner, until such
indebtedness has been paid, whether the indebtedness was incurred
at the premises so affected or at any other place within the City.
Prolonged nonpayment will result in a tax lien's being placed against
the property involved.
Any service which has been out of use continuously
for a period of at least one year may be ordered to be disconnected
at the main by the Department of Public Works. Such work is to be
done by the owner and the cost incurred is the responsibility of the
owner. Failure to comply with said order will result in the Department
of Public Works' performing said work, and the cost of such disconnecting,
including street repaving, shall be charged against the owner at established
rates.
[Amended 7-15-2008]
The water rents as finally adopted by the Common
Council shall be applicable for the fiscal year commencing January
1 in each year. Said water rents shall be charged on a quarterly basis
and shall be due and payable on the 30th day of April, July, October
and January. Interest at the rate of 1 1/2% per month shall be charged
on all water bills not paid within 30 days of the billing date. All
water rents and special charges are due and payable when billed, and
if unpaid on the first day of November, shall be added to the tax
rolls for the ensuing year against the proper delinquent parcels of
taxable property as prescribed by the City Charter.
The Department of Public Works will deliver
bills for water and miscellaneous charges by depositing the same in
the post office only as a matter of convenience to the owner. Failure
to receive bills shall not relieve any owner from his obligation in
the payment of such bills.
Readings for water bills shall be taken quarterly
and when closing the account from recorded and recognized meters.
Where water has been turned off for any reason,
it shall be so recorded and the charge for water ceases from that
date. However, whenever water is found turned on to a service recorded
as turned off in the records of the Department of Public Works, the
account shall be charged for the use of water from the recorded date
of the turning off of the service.
The amount of water registered by any meter
shall be charged and paid for in full, irrespective of whether such
water, after having been registered, was lost by leakage, accident
or otherwise. When meters fail to register correctly and during the
time meters are removed for testing or repairs, the charges for water
will be assessed on an estimated amount based upon the average consumption
shown when the meter was in proper working order for a similar period.
A. A refund or abatement on a bill for metered water
can be made only for one of the following reasons:
(1) Where an error has been made in the reading of the
meter or in the preparation of the bill.
(2) When the meter, upon testing, shows an average over-registration
greater than 2%.
(3) When any charge of the Department of Public Works
has been paid twice or incorrectly.
B. The original receipted bill must accompany the application
for a refund.
Complaints of overcharging must be made immediately
upon receipt of bill and before bill is paid. All bills against which
no complaints are made shall be considered correct.
[Amended 7-15-2008]
When a unit that receives water becomes vacant,
the Department of Public Works shall, upon written application of
the property owner, discontinue billing to that unit. Billing shall
cease only upon water service being physically terminated to the unit
by a City of Hudson licensed plumber following an approved application
to the Department of Public Works and a fee of $50. Water service
shall be turned on and off at the risk of the owner. No water charge
shall be made against such building or unit during the period that
the service is unused. No refunds will be made on payment of bills
for water rents for a vacant building if notice is not given to the
Department of Public Works. Billings will only be discontinued when
water service is terminated to an entire building.
All payments to the Department of Public Works
shall be made to the City Treasurer and shall be in currency or by
check drawn to the order of Treasurer, City of Hudson. All checks
will be accepted subject to collection at the bank.