All charges for water service furnished shall be due and payable when billed. The City Manager, or designated representative, shall establish a billing calendar for each month, with said calendar including the billing date, due dates, delinquency date, and shut off. Payment in full for all services billed must be made by the delinquency date established in the billing calendar, such date to be not less than twenty (20) days subsequent to the date of billing or a late charge, as fixed by resolution of the City Council, shall be added to the delinquent account, thereby increasing the amount due and payable. The bill for water service shall clearly state the last date on which full payment may be made to avoid the late charge and shall also state the increased amount due and payable from assessing the late charge if the account becomes delinquent. When a water account becomes delinquent as above defined, a written turnoff notice shall be sent to each delinquent account on the day and date established in the billing calendar. In the event the customer and billing address is other than the premises address where the account has been incurred, a copy of such written notice shall also be furnished to the occupant of said premises.

The City water department’s turnoff notice shall specifically advise that this is the final notice and that the concerned delinquent water service will be turned off by the City on the date identified in the billing calendar, which date shall be not less than five days subsequent to the date of said turnoff notice, and that a disconnect fee established by resolution of the City Council shall be added to the customer’s account.

If the delinquent water account of concern is not paid in full or other satisfactory arrangement made specifically in writing with the water department of the City for payment thereof prior to the specific date set forth in the turnoff notice, an employee or agent of the City water department shall thereafter turn off the water service to the premises concerned at the earliest convenient time following the expiration of the time specified in said turnoff notice; provided, further, that the City water department employee or agent effecting the actual water turnoff shall immediately prior thereto, advise an occupant of the premises concerned, if any be present, that such turnoff is being made at that time.

However, in the event no occupant is present upon the premises or none responds to the water department’s notification of such turnoff, this shall not in any way cause the City to delay the premises water turnoff in accordance with notice previously given, but in such event, a notice shall be placed conspicuously upon the premises, advising that such turnoff has occurred.

In all instances where a water service has been turned off because of a delinquent account or charges, a service charge shall be made for the restoration thereof in accordance with the current city rate and charge schedule as established by resolution of the City Council. Whenever a water service charge, or portion thereof, remains unpaid on the forty-fifth day following the date of billing, the delinquent account shall bear interest at the legal rate or the rate established by resolution of the City Council.

A premises water service terminated or disconnected for lack of payment of water bills due the City and/or other water charges relating to the concerned premises, shall not be restored until all such delinquent water bills and charges are paid and this requirement shall not be avoided by change in user, customer or owner of said building or premises.

In addition to the City’s right to discontinue or turn off water service for delinquencies in water service accounts and/or charges as hereinabove set forth, the City shall have the further right, upon due and reasonable notice, to discontinue or turn off a customer’s premises water service in the event a delinquency occurs in the sewer account and/or the street utility fee to said premises and said delinquency is not corrected within the time set forth herein for delinquent water service accounts.

The failure of the City to discontinue water service for any reason, including the nonpayment of water service charges due, shall not relieve the owner of the premises or customer from the obligation and duty to pay for all of said services, whether said owner or customer does or does not have knowledge of any delinquencies for water uses or charges. (Ord. 2-2013, 2013; Ord. 11-2010, 2010; Ord. 2-1989 § 3, 1989: Ord. 4-1982 § 24, 1982.)