Chapter 15.07
UTILITY BILLING

Sections:

15.07.010 PURPOSE.

15.07.020 UTILITY SERVICE ACCOUNTS.

15.07.030 ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE.

15.07.040 BILLING STATEMENT.

15.07.050 BILLING AND DUPLICATE BILLINGS.

15.07.060 AUTOMATIC CASH TRANSFER.

15.07.070 DESIGNATED AGENTS.

15.07.080 DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS.

15.07.090 LIENS.

15.07.100 DEFERRED PAYMENT.

15.07.110 ADJUSTMENTS.

15.07.120 METER FAILURE.

15.07.130 DISCONNECTION.

15.07.010 PURPOSE.

The Ordinances codified in this chapter provide for the establishment of a Department billing and receipting system for the reimbursement of the costs of providing utility service.

The Department is additionally authorized to provide to other municipal corporations billing and accounting services through interlocal agreement approved by the Mayor and authorized by the City Council. (Ord. 4454 §1 (in part), 1994; Ord. 4309 §2 (in part), 1991)

15.07.020 UTILITY SERVICE ACCOUNTS.

The Department shall create a Utility Service Account upon receipt of an executed Utility Service Agreement.

The account shall be in the name of the owner and may be activated or terminated only upon written notice by the owner and payment for services provided.

Billing for Utility services shall commence at the date of connection to or use of the Utility system unless modified herein.

Billing for mandated wastewater service, as directed by the Health Officer or the Department regardless of connection, shall commence sixty (60) days following written notice by the Health Officer or the date of connection whichever shall occur first. (Ord. 4454 §1 (in part), 1994; Ord. 4309 §2 (in part), 1991)

15.07.030 ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE.

Whenever the owner of a premises connected to the Utility system desires to have the service activated or discontinued for his own or another’s use, he shall notify the Utility Billing in writing on the forms provided.

The Department, upon payment of a service fee, will activate or discontinue service or pro rate the customer bill for partial billing periods upon the request of the owner.

Reconnection of service will require payment for all services provided prior to discontinuing service.

Where a service has been inactive for more than five (5) years and a property owner petitions to reactivate the service to the premises, in addition to making application, a flow test will be required to evaluate the service to determine if adequate flow is currently available. The Department will perform the flow test at the owner’s expense. A service fee and payment for any unpaid previous charges shall be assessed prior to activation of the service. If inadequate flow is determined, a new service will be required by the Department and shall be at the expense of the owner. (Ord. 4454 §1 (in part), 1994; Ord. 4309 §2 (in part), 1991)

15.07.040 BILLING STATEMENT.

The Department shall regularly bill each Utility Service Account for all fees, rates, and charges for service during the billing period.

Payments received on each service account shall be applied in the following priority to the outstanding account balances: fees, administrative charges, stormwater charges, wastewater charges, and water charges. Receipts shall be credited to the oldest balances first.

A utility bill shall be considered past due thirty (30) days after date of billing.

A utility bill which remains unpaid after the due date shall be classified as a delinquent account and shall be subject to delinquent charges. (Ord. 4454 §1 (in part), 1994; Ord. 4309 §2 (in part), 1991)

15.07.050 BILLING AND DUPLICATE BILLINGS.

Billing statements shall be mailed to the address requested by the property owner. Duplicate bills sent to a different address shall be assessed a duplicate billing charge sufficient to recover all costs of processing and mailing.

The property owner shall be responsible for all fees, rates and charges on the Utility Service Account irrespective of the use of the duplicate billing procedures. (Ord. 4309 §2 (in part), 1991)

15.07.060 AUTOMATIC CASH TRANSFER.

A property owner or his designated agent may at his option request in writing, on the form provided by the Department, direct automatic transfer of funds from a designated account at a financial institution to the Department for payment of utility service. The transfer shall be made at the time of the due date regular billing of the account and the property owner shall receive a statement of charges paid. (Ord. 4454 §1 (in part), 1994; Ord. 4309 §2 (in part), 1991)

15.07.070 DESIGNATED AGENTS.

Any property owner may designate an agent to receive billing and provide for account maintenance. To designate an agent, the owner must deliver to the Utility billing office a properly executed form provided by the Department. The owner shall be responsible for notifying the Department of any change in the agent’s status. (Ord. 4454 §1 (in part), 1994; Ord. 4309 §2 (in part), 1991)

15.07.080 DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS.

The Department shall have the right at its option to terminate service to the premises for which the account is delinquent, provided service is not to be terminated for those accounts which require utilities for the operation of life-sustaining machines or equipment. Such an exception shall require the submission of written documentation of the requirement signed by a licensed physician, following each notice of delinquency and must be submitted to and approved by the Director.

When an account becomes delinquent, the Department shall provide written notice to the owner or agent notifying that the account is delinquent.

The written notice shall contain the following information: date of termination which shall be no sooner than ten (10) days from notice; a statement of the reason for the proposed termination of service; a statement of what may be done to avoid termination; a statement that the property owner may file a written appeal with the Department and the rights of the property owner to dispute the proposed termination.

The Department shall visit the service address ten (10) days following the written notification and physically place a final notice of termination on the door of the residence. The notice shall contain the following information: the reason for termination of service; the time in which service will be discontinued which shall not be sooner than forty-eight (48) hours from final notice; a statement of what may be done to avoid termination; a statement that the property owner may file a written appeal disputing the proposed termination.

If payment is not received within 48 hours following final notice, the service to the premises shall be terminated. (Ord. 4454 §1 (in part), 1994; Ord. 4309 §2 (in part), 1991)

15.07.090 LIENS.

Any and all charges provided for in this Chapter shall constitute a lien against the property served when the charges become delinquent and unpaid. Enforcement and collection of the lien shall include, but not be limited to, the right to discontinue service and deny service thereafter to any and all owners and/or occupants or tenants at the premises until the lien has been satisfied.

In the case where the owner of the premises moves to another location within the service area or applies for service at a new location, service may be denied at such location until the lien at the first location has been satisfied.

The Department shall file a lien against the property served at the Office of the County Auditor for Kitsap County when a utility account becomes delinquent and unpaid. Such lien shall include the delinquent charges, a charge for the cost of preparing and filing said lien.

Failure to receive a bill does not relieve an owner or user of the responsibility for payment of charges and penalties on the account. (Ord. 4454 §1 (in part), 1994; Ord. 4309 §2 (in part), 1991)

15.07.100 DEFERRED PAYMENT.

A deferred payment arrangement may be extended to customers for the payment of delinquent accounts where the customer can demonstrate a temporary inability to make full payment. Customers who have failed to comply with previous payment arrangements, have a history of payment problems or fail to stay current in utility bills may be denied deferred payment arrangements or have arrangements terminated. (Ord. 4309 §2 (in part), 1991)

15.07.110 ADJUSTMENTS.

In the event of excessive registration of the water meters caused by broken or leaking water service pipes upon the premises of any customer, without knowledge or fault of the customer, an adjustment may be requested upon written application within a thirty (30) day period of receipt of the billing in question. After the complete and satisfactory repairs and with documentation of satisfactory repair, reduction in fees shall be limited to one-half of the excess water billing and the entire excess sewer billing as determined by the Department to be associated with the billing period in question.

If a customer disputes an adjustment, an appeal may be filed as set forth herein. (Ord. 4454 §1 (in part), 1994; Ord. 4309 §2 (in part), 1991)

15.07.120 METER FAILURE.

In the event of a meter failing to register properly, the user shall be charged an estimate of the consumption from whatever may be considered the most reliable data or method available to the Department. (Ord. 4454 §1 (in part), 1994; Ord. 4309 §2 (in part), 1991)

15.07.130 DISCONNECTION.

No person or owner of any premises connected to the City’s water supply system shall disconnect the water on said premises, unless he shall first file a written request and pay all arrearages current on water usage for said premises. (Ord. 4309 §2 (in part), 1991)