Each customer shall pay for water service provided by the City based upon use of water as determined by meters provided for in Chapter 91. Each location, building, premises, or connection shall be considered a separate and distinct customer whether owned or controlled by the same person or not.

   Water service shall be furnished at the following monthly rates within the City:

   1.   As of January 1, 2025, $8.09 per 1000 gallons and a base rate of $5.50 for residential and $16.50 for commercial per month;

   2.   As of January 1, 2026, $8.94 per 1000 gallons and a base rate of $5.50 for residential and $16.50 for commercial per month.

   3.   As of January 1, 2027, $9.88 per 1000 gallons and a base rate of $5.50 for residential and $16.50 for commercial per month.

   4.   As of January 1, 2028, $10.91 per 1000 gallons and a base rate of $5.50 for residential and $16.50 for commercial per month.

   Water service shall be provided to any customer located outside the corporate limits of the City which the City has agreed to serve at rates 200 percent of the rates provided in Section 92.02. No such customer, however, will be served unless the customer shall have signed a service contract agreeing to be bound by the ordinances, rules, and regulations applying to water service established by the Council.

   Water service shall be billed as part of a combined service account, payable in accordance with the following:

   1.   Bills Issued. The Clerk shall prepare and issue bills for combined service accounts.

   2.   Bills Payable. Bills for combined service accounts shall be due and payable at the office of the Clerk by 4:30 p.m. end of business day on the third of each month. If the third falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or a holiday when City Hall is closed, the bill will be due by 3:00 p.m. the next regular business day when City Hall is open.

   3.   Late Payment Penalty. Bills not paid when due shall be considered delinquent. A one-time late payment penalty of 10 percent of the amount due shall be added to each delinquent bill.

   Water service to delinquent customers shall be discontinued or disconnected in accordance with the following:

   1.   Notice. Each delinquent customer shall be notified that service will be discontinued or disconnected if payment of the combined service account, including late payment charges, is not received by the date specified in the notice of delinquency. Such notice shall be sent by ordinary mail to the customer in whose name the delinquent charges were incurred and shall inform the customer of the nature of the delinquency and afford the customer the opportunity for a hearing prior to the discontinuance or disconnection. If payment of the combined service account is not received within 23 days after the rendition of the bill therefore, a $35.00 charge will be assessed for the notice. If payment is not received within 48 hours after such notice, service will be discontinued and shall not be restored until full payment of the account is received, including red tag and restoration fee. Payment must be made at City Hall Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:30 pm. Service will not be restored after hours or on weekends unless deemed a health emergency.

   2.   Notice to Landlords. If the customer is a tenant, and if the owner or landlord of the property or premises has made a written request for notice, the notice of delinquency shall also be given to the owner or landlord. If the customer is a tenant and requests a change of name for service under the account, such request shall be sent to the owner or landlord of the property if the owner or landlord has made a written request for notice of any change of name for service under the account to the rental property.

   3.   Hearing. If a hearing is requested by noon of the day preceding the shut off, the City Administrator shall conduct an informal hearing and shall make a determination as to whether the discontinuance or disconnection is justified.

   4.   Fees. A fee of $25.00 shall be charged during normal working hours. (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). $75.00 shall be assessed after normal working hours and on weekends. Before service is restored to a delinquent customer, any fees assessed for repairs, delinquency, or nonpayment shall be paid prior to reconnections.

   The owner of the premises served and any lessee or tenant thereof shall be jointly and severally liable for water service charges to the premises. Water service charges remaining unpaid and delinquent shall constitute a lien upon the property or premises served and shall be certified by the Clerk to the County Treasurer for collection in the same manner as property taxes.

   1.   Water Service Exemption. The lien for nonpayment shall not apply to charges for water service to a residential or commercial rental property where water service is separately metered and the rates or charges for the water service are paid directly to the City by the tenant, if the landlord gives written notice to the City that the property is residential or commercial rental property and that the tenant is liable for the rates or charges. The City may require a deposit not exceeding the usual cost of 90 days of such services to be paid to the City. When the tenant moves from the rental property, the City shall refund the deposit if all service charges are paid in full. The lien exemption does not apply to delinquent charges for repairs related to any of the services.

   2.   Other Service Exemption. The lien for nonpayment shall also not apply to the charges for any of the services of sewer systems, stormwater drainage systems, sewage treatment, solid waste collection, and solid waste disposal for a residential rental property where the charge is paid directly to the City by the tenant, if the landlord gives written notice to the City that the property is residential rental property and that the tenant is liable for the rates or charges for such service. The City may require a deposit not exceeding the usual cost of 90 days of such services to be paid to the City. When the tenant moves from the rental property, the City shall refund the deposit if all service charges are paid in full. The lien exemption does not apply to delinquent charges for repairs related to any of the services.

   3.   Written Notice. The landlord’s written notice shall contain the name of the tenant responsible for charges, the address of the residential or commercial rental property that the tenant is to occupy, and the date that the occupancy begins. Upon receipt, the City shall acknowledge the notice and deposit. A change in tenant for a residential rental property shall require a new written notice to be given to the City within 30 business days of the change in tenant. A change in tenant for a commercial rental property shall require a new written notice to be given to the City within 10 business days of the change in tenant. A change in the ownership of the residential rental property shall require written notice of such change to be given to the City within 30 business days of the completion of the change of ownership. A change in the ownership of the commercial rental property shall require written notice of such change to be given to the City within 10 business days of the completion of the change of ownership.

   4.   Mobile Homes, Modular Homes, and Manufactured Homes. A lien for nonpayment of utility services described in Subsections 1 and 2 of this section shall not be placed upon a premises that is a mobile home, modular home, or manufactured home if the mobile home, modular home, or manufactured home is owned by a tenant of and located in a mobile home park or manufactured home community and the mobile home park or manufactured home community owner or manager is the account holder, unless the lease agreement specifies that the tenant is responsible for payment of a portion of the rates or charges billed to the account holder.

   A lien for delinquent water service charges shall not be certified to the County Treasurer unless prior written notice of intent to certify a lien is given to the customer in whose name the delinquent charges were incurred. If the customer is a tenant and if the owner or landlord of the property or premises has made a written request for notice, the notice shall also be given to the owner or landlord. The notice shall be sent to the appropriate persons by ordinary mail not less than 30 days prior to certification of the lien to the County Treasurer.

   There shall be required from every new customer or prospective customer that makes application for a new or different water service from the City a $100.00 deposit and new customer social security number intended to guarantee the payment of bills for service. A $200.00 deposit is required if a new customer does not provide their social security number. The deposit shall be paid in full to the City before the service will be turned on or put into the tenant’s name. When a customer moves, they shall receive the deposit back within 30 days after the date of the final meter reading or the account of such customer shall be credited with the amount of the deposit within 30 days on any bills due and owing. A customer who has paid their deposit and has not received a red tag over a 12-month period then shall receive the deposit refund as a credit on their water bill.

   A property owner may request water service be temporarily discontinued and shut off at the curb stop when the property is expected to be vacant for an extended period of time. There shall be a $15.00 fee collected for restoring service.

   If a meter fails to register the quantity of water, the quantity shall be determined and the charge made, based upon the average quantity registered during such preceding period of time, prior to the date of failure to register, as the Superintendent shall decide.