[Amended 6-7-2007 by Ord. No. 11-2007]
Generally, all water consumed shall be recorded and paid pursuant to metered registration at the rates fixed by the Council, except as otherwise provided.
[Amended 2-22-1996 by Ord. No. 2-1996; 5-23-1997 by Ord. No. 17-1997; 6-14-2001 by Ord. No. 19-2001; 7-5-2001 by Ord. No. 22-2001; 12-21-2004 by Ord. No. 18-2004; 6-13-2006 by Ord. No. 11-2006; 6-7-2007 by Ord. No. 11-2007]
A.
The meter rates for water service, both inside and outside of the City, shall be set annually by the Council. The meter rates shall be adopted and enacted by Council each year as a component of the City's budget and shall become effective July 1 of each fiscal year.
B.
The meter rates so adopted and enacted shall remain in effect until the end of each designated fiscal year unless amended by City Council.
A.
Frequency of billing. All residential rates shall be billed quarterly and all others monthly.
B.
Failure to receive bill. Failure to receive a water bill shall not act as a waiver of penalty.
C.
Separate readings. In the event that more than one meter is used upon the same premises, separate bills shall be rendered for each meter.
D.
Penalty. All water rates set out in § 297-23 are net, with a penalty of 10% to be added if not paid within 20 days after the issuance of a bill or statement therefor.
[Amended 5-8-1997 by Ord. No. 13-1997; 6-15-2005 by Ord. No. 8-2005; 6-13-2006 by Ord. No. 11-2006; 5-22-2008 by Ord. No. 6-2008]
E.
The City Treasurer is authorized to waive any penalties assessed for delinquent water bills provided that the account in question and all other water accounts in the same customer's name were paid on time during the previous thirty-six-month period immediately preceding the billing to the account(s) for which the waiver is requested.
[Added 3-8-2007 by Ord. No. 3-2007
F.
All billing for water rates shall include the fee for solid waste collection as promulgated by § 254-36 of this Code.
[Added 6-7-2007 by Ord. No. 11-2007
[Amended 5-8-1997 by Ord. No. 13-1997]
All charges for water service pipe installation, repairs, damages caused by carelessness or neglect, penalties, etc., shall be made against the premises supplied, and the owner of premises shall be held responsible therefor. Such charges, if not paid, shall be a lien on the property benefited. All such unpaid charges, including an additional ten-percent processing fee computed on the unpaid balance, shall be added to the next City tax against the property.
A.
Generally. Whenever practical a meter shall be placed and the water consumption paid for at the established meter rates.
B.
Building purposes. For building purposes where it is not advisable or practical to install a meter, the owner or contractor may be furnished water at a fixed flat rate. In such instances the owner or contractor shall make written application to the Water Department on a form provided by the Department giving the information required. The Water Department may demand payment in advance of the amount of charges for water at scheduled rates for such work.
[Amended 11-20-2014 by Ord. No. 11-2014]
A.
New residential meters. As meters age, they fail to register correctly; therefore, the City shall replace meters as necessary. The account owner and tenant shall provide ready and convenient access to the premises and meter location for such replacement. Three attempts shall be made, by mail, to contact the account owner to coordinate the meter replacement. Failure to make arrangements with the City for replacement within 30 days of the final notice shall result in additional fees. The consumer shall be billed for the consumption as metered or estimated plus an additional fee of 25% per billing period until the meter is replaced. Additionally, the account owner will be responsible for the actual cost of the meter installation, and administration fees of $25.
B.
Failure of residential meters to register. If a water meter fails to register, the account owner shall be billed at the average daily consumption over the previous years' period, as shown by the meter when it was in order. There shall be three attempts, by mail, to contact the account owner to coordinate the meter repair or replacement. Failure to make arrangements with the City for repair or replacement within 30 days of the final notice shall result in additional fees. The account owner shall be billed at the average daily consumption over the previous years' period, as shown by the meter when it was in order, plus an additional fee of 25% per billing period until the meter is replaced.
C.
New commercial/industrial meters. As meters age, they fail to register correctly; therefore, the City shall replace meters as necessary. The account owner and tenant shall provide ready and convenient access to the premises and meter location for such replacement. Three attempts shall be made, by mail, to contact the account owner to coordinate the meter replacement. Failure to make arrangements with the City for replacement within 30 days of the final notice shall result in additional fees. The consumer shall be billed for the consumption as metered or estimated plus an additional fee of 25% per billing period until the meter is replaced. Additionally, the account owner will be responsible for the price of the meter, cost of installation, and administration fees of $25.
D.
Failure of commercial/industrial meters to register. If a water meter fails to register, the account owner shall be billed at the average daily consumption over the previous years' period, as shown by the meter when it was in order. There shall be three attempts, by mail, to contact the account owner to coordinate the meter repair or replacement. Failure to make arrangements with the City for repair or replacement within 30 days of the final notice shall result in additional fees. The account owner shall be billed at the average daily consumption over the previous years' period, as shown by the meter when it was in order, plus an additional fee of 25% per billing period until the meter is replaced. Additionally, the account owner will be responsible for the price of the meter and actual cost of installation.
[Amended 6-13-2006 by Ord. No. 11-2006]
No abatement of the charges for water rents shall be allowed on account of the vacancy of any premises supplied with water, unless the water supply is turned off by the Water Department. For such suspension of service there shall be a charge of $50 for shutting off and $50 for restoring the service at such premises, but, in the interval, no charge for service shall be made.
A.
Owner's responsibility. The owner of the premises to which water is supplied shall be chargeable with all water taken from the City mains, and if leaks occur in the service lines between the curb stop and the meter, the Water Department may estimate the amount of the water lost by such leaks and charge the same to the owner of the premises.
B.
Abatement by City Manager. All water that passes through a meter shall be charged for, whether used, wasted or lost by leakage. The City Manager may make such abatement as seems to him or her right and proper in the case of underground leaks, where it appears that the owner or user could not reasonably be expected to know of the leak or to have had a fair opportunity to stop the same. Such reduction shall not exceed 1/2 of the estimated loss of water.
[Amended 6-13-2006 by Ord. No. 11-2006]
Whenever the owner or occupant requests the City to shut off or turn on the supply of water, such owner or occupant shall pay a fee of $50 to the City.