The provisions of this section apply to water accounts that were established prior
to July 1, 2012. As used in this section the term water account or water service includes
the city's fees for water service, sewer service and storm water maintenance fees
that are added to the city's combined water bill. A deposit shall be required of any
individual, commercial or industrial establishment desiring the use of water on premises
owned or leased by them within the city limits, where all connections and applications
have been made in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, if such applicant
is known to have a poor payment history. Poor payment history is defined as non-payment
of city fees and taxes in a timely manner or excessive late fees on water and sewer
accounts.
However, existing accounts will be required to pay the deposit only if the customer
thereafter allows service to be severed for nonpayment and subsequently has service
reinstated. The amount of the deposit is the greater of the customer's average quarterly
water and sewer bill or $75.00 for a residential meter, or for a commercial meter,
which deposit is based on meter size—five-eighth-inch meter, $75.00; one-inch meter,
$145.00; one and one-fourth-inch meter, $200.00; one and one-half-inch meter, $255.00;
two-inch meter, $310.00; three- and four-inch meter, $575.00; over four-inch meter,
$1,000.00—to guarantee the payment of such account. The deposit shall be refunded,
together with interest based upon the published rate in the daily Wall Street Journal
for certificates of deposit having a maturity of one year, as of the date on which
the city accrues interest for utility deposits, to each consumer who has maintained
a satisfactory payment record for at least 12 months. The deposit plus interest of
any consumer not refunded will be credited against any final bill rendered to such
consumer at the time service is discontinued. If at any time a satisfactory payment
record is not maintained by any consumer from whom a deposit was not required, the
director of finance may require that such deposit be made or, if at any time a consumer
whose deposit has been refunded does not maintain a satisfactory payment record, the
director of finance may again require such deposit.
(Ord. No. O-95-027, 2-14-95, eff. 7-1-95; Ord. No. O-12-083, 6-26-12, eff. 7-1-12)
