Chapter 13.20
RATES AND CHARGES

Sections:

13.20.010    Payment of water bills – Delinquent charges – Turn-on charge for restoring service.

13.20.020    Water connection fee.

13.20.030    Metered service – Charges set by City Council.

13.20.040    Metered service – Billing period.

13.20.050    Metered service – Adjustments when meter registers incorrectly.

13.20.060    City departments.

13.20.070    Fire service connections – Inside City.

13.20.080    Fire service connections – Outside City.

13.20.090    Fire hydrants outside the City.

13.20.100    Public school districts.

13.20.110    Disposition of revenue.

13.20.010 Payment of water bills – Delinquent charges – Turn-on charge for restoring service.

A. All water bills shall be paid at the offices of the City or other place or places designated by the City. All bills become delinquent 30 days after the date stated on the bill, at which time a penalty charge of 10 percent shall be added thereto, and if not paid within 35 days after the delinquent date, the water may be shut off without further notice.

B. When water has been shut off because of delinquency in payment of the water bill, the same shall not be turned on until the following charges have been paid:

1. Amount of delinquent service billing, including penalty in an amount set by resolution;

2. Amount of any damages, pursuant to LMC 13.16.040;

3. Service reconnection fee in an amount set by resolution.

C. Repealed by Ord. 1829. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; Ord. 1829 § 1, 2007; Ord. 1199 § 3, 1986; Ord. 1172 § 3, 1985; 1960 code § 24.41)

13.20.020 Water connection fee.

In addition to all other charges and fees to connect to the potable water system or the recycled water system of the City, there shall be assessed a charge for each metered connection (all connections shall be metered), whether inside or outside the City, for the provision of Zone 7 turnouts, pipelines larger than 12 inches in diameter, pump stations, and reservoirs.

Such charges shall be established by resolution of the City Council, and shall be payable according to the provisions of LMC 13.28.070. Periodically, the Council may restudy and recalculate the fee.

Once the fee is established, it shall automatically be increased annually based on the Engineering News Record (ENR) 20-City Construction Cost Index.

The City Council may, by resolution, adopt administrative guidelines to provide a special fee deferral program in response to unprecedented conditions such as extraordinary economic changes. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; Ord. 1879 § 3, 2009; Ord. 1765 § 6, 2005; Ord. 1507 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1490 § 1, 1996; 1960 code § 24.45)

13.20.030 Metered service – Charges set by City Council.

A billing period shall be one month, more or less, for each regular metered service based on a 30-day period. Only the first and final bills will be prorated. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; Ord. 1986 § 1(F), 2014; 1960 code § 24.42)

13.20.040 Metered service – Billing period.

For water supplied through a meter and used or consumed either inside or outside the City, every consumer shall pay, for each billing period, charges to be set forth by resolution duly adopted by the City Council. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; 1960 code § 24.43)

13.20.050 Metered service – Adjustments when meter registers incorrectly.

Whenever a meter fails to register correctly, the consumer shall be charged for a minimum service charge or for an estimated amount of water used, based upon the customer’s prior consumption during the same season of the year, if conditions were unchanged, or upon a reasonable comparison with the use of other customers during the same period receiving the same class of service under similar circumstances. (1960 code § 24.44)

13.20.060 City departments.

For water used by departments of the City, the City shall pay each billing period a water service charge established for metered water service inside the City. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; 1960 code § 24.50)

13.20.070 Fire service connections – Inside City.

For each fire service connection inside the City, whether or not any water is used for fire-fighting, the consumer shall pay the charge established by resolution of the City Council. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; 1960 code § 24.46)

13.20.080 Fire service connections – Outside City.

For each fire service connection, excluding fire hydrants, outside the City, whether or not any water is used for firefighting, the consumer shall pay the charge established by resolution of the City Council. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; 1960 code § 24.47)

13.20.090 Fire hydrants outside the City.

For each fire hydrant outside the City, whether or not any water is used for fire-fighting, the fire protection district or county or other consumer shall pay $5.00 per billing period. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; 1960 code § 24.48)

13.20.100 Public school districts.

Any public school district receiving water service shall pay the water service charges established for metered water service inside the City, regardless of the location of such service. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; 1960 code § 24.49)

13.20.110 Disposition of revenue.

Gross revenue derived from the sale of water by the city water utility may be devoted to any lawful purpose at the sole discretion of the City Council. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; 1960 code § 24.51)