§ 12-107. Billing.

(a)

All meters shall be read once a month, as may be practicable, by the city and bills rendered as provided in this section.

(b)

An estimate of the quantity of water delivered to the premises and bill therefor shall be made if:

(1)

The meter reader is, in his judgement, unable to procure a reading of the meter because access to the meter is obstructed in any manner subject to the control of the customer; or

(2)

The meter cannot be located by the meter reader; or

(3)

The meter does not properly function or is otherwise defective; or

(4)

Adverse weather or other acts of God prevent the reading of the meter; or

(5)

No meter is in place at the premises; or

(6)

A meter reading is not available to the billing section of the city at the time of preparation of the bill for any other reason.

(c)

All estimates herein allowed shall be based upon:

(1)

Past consumption experience at the premises, adjusted for seasonal consumption; or

(2)

If there is no past experience, upon consumption of a similar type of customer in the same classification adjusted for seasonal consumption.

(d)

The customer shall pay to the city the amount of the bill rendered. In the event the customer demonstrates that an estimate is excessive, the customer shall pay an amount based upon:

(1)

An actual meter reading on the premises; or

(2)

A revised estimate made by the city as provided in this subsection.

(e)

Charges for refuse collection shall be billed and shown on the utility bill rendered to the customer. In no event shall there be any abatement of the refuse collection charge billed to an owner or occupant by reason of the vacancy of any single residential unit within a multiple residential unit.

(f)

Charges for wastewater service shall be billed and shown on the utility bill rendered to the customer. In no event shall there be any abatement of the wastewater service charge by reason of the vacancy of any single residential unit, multiple residential unit, commercial unit or any other building, structure or premises connected to the wastewater system of the city.

(g)

Water, wastewater and refuse collection bills, including charges and penalties for each customer, shall be rendered by the city on a monthly basis. The bill as rendered shall become delinquent after the due date as shown on the face of said bill, such date of delinquency to be determined as provided in the next section of this article.

(h)

Payment shall be made to the city as follows:

(1)

If payment is made by mail, the date of actual receipt by the city of a fully negotiable payment shall be the date the payment is deemed to have been received.

(2)

If payment is made in person, by cash or check, the date of receipt shall be the date stamped upon the receipt issued therefore by the city.

(3)

Any bill not paid in full on or before the due date as shown on the face of the bill rendered to the customer shall be delinquent for purposes of this section. The due date shall be at least nine, but not more than 15, business days after the date the bills are prepared.

(4)

Failure to receive any bill provided by this section shall not relieve the customer of any liability.

(i)

A late charge as established by resolution of the city council may be charged before the close of business on the due date as specified on the bill rendered to the customer.

(j)

When any customer believes his meter is incorrect for any reason, he may make a written request to the city to have the meter removed and tested. The director of public works may require the customer to pay the cost for the removal and test of the meter in accordance with a fee adopted by resolution of the city council.

(k)

In any case in which there appears to be a material discrepancy in the amount of the bill rendered to the customer, it shall be the duty of the city, upon written notice from the customer, to send an inspector to inspect and to verify the reading of the meter within five days of receipt of the complaint, at no charge to the customer. If the number of complaints exceeds three within any six-month period, the city shall charge the customer $5.00 for any inspection made during the succeeding 12-month period, said charge to be added to the next bill rendered to the customer.

(l)

If service is supplied to more than one person at a premises, the city shall render a bill for such water, wastewater and refuse collection services as are provided to the customer in whose name the account stands, and the city shall not be responsible for any apportionment of the bill for the said services among the persons occupying or owning the premises. Upon default of payment by the customer, the persons occupying or owning the premises shall be jointly and severally liable for payment thereof as if they were the customer. In the event enumerated in the preceding clause, and if the occupant or owner shall pay such bill on demand of the city, the city shall be subrogated to the paying occupant or owner as to any cause of action by such paying occupant or owner on the debt of the customer that is thus discharged.

(m)

Water used in the construction or repair of any premises shall be charged against the owner of such premises, who shall be conclusively presumed to be the customer for all purposes of this chapter.

(n)

All water furnished to another city or any other governmental entity shall be payable to the city.

(Ord. No. 841, § 7, 2-7-1994; Ord. No. 03-1435, § 1, 3-3-2003; Code 1983, § 12-107; Ord. No. 05-1616, § 2, 9-19-2005; Ord. No. 08-1758, § 1, 5-5-2008)