Chapter 13A.35
WATER RATES AND CHARGES
Sections:
13A.35.010 Establishment of rates, fees and charges.
13A.35.020 Billing and due dates--Users--Interest charges.
13A.35.040 Additional and special charges.
13A.35.050 Lien for delinquent charges.
13A.35.010 Establishment of rates, fees and charges.
A. Establishment. All rates, fees and charges for service by water users shall be determined from time to time by resolution of the town council, and shall include:
1. A fee for water service inside the town which includes both a base rate which is a "ready-to-serve charge" and a "volume charge";
2. A fee for water service outside the town which includes both a base rate which is a "ready-to-use charge" and a "volume charge";
3. A charge for meter size changes, relocations and grade changes (Section 13A.20.040);
4. A charge for meter testing deposit (Section 13A.20.060);
5. A late fee to be charged for delinquent payment of charges (Section 13A.35.020(B));
6. An administrative fee to be charged when water service is terminated due to delinquency (Section 13A.35.040(A)(1));
7. Deposit for chronic delinquent payment within the past twelve months (Section 13A.35.040(A)(2));
8. A special turn-off and turn-on charge (Section 13A.35.040(C));
9. Meter and service installation charges (Section 13A.35.040(D)).
The effective date for the rates, fees and charges established pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be as set forth in the appropriate resolution of the town council. (Ord. 570 §1, 2015: Ord. 242 (part), 1991)
13A.35.020 Billing and due dates--Users--Interest charges.
A. Billing Dates. All water users shall be billed on a monthly basis, on the last day of the monthly billing period.
B. Due Dates--Delinquent Charges. Payment of the bill is due on the fifteenth day of the month following the billing period. The bill becomes delinquent and late charges will apply on the twenty-first day of the month following the billing period, regardless of what day of the week that day falls on. Late charges shall be assessed to the account at a rate set by resolution of the town council.
C. Due Date for the Wilbur School District. Due to statutory requirements relating to payment of bills by school districts, the Wilbur School District shall have thirty days from the date of billing to pay its charges, after which unpaid charges shall be delinquent and subject to the assessment of late charges set by resolution of the town council.
D. The town clerk may agree to reasonable payment arrangements on delinquent accounts and may waive the imposition of late charges for good cause. (Ord. 570 §2, 2015: Ord. 242 (part), 1991)
13A.35.030 Delinquent user charges--Appeal procedures--Termination of service--Administrative charge.
If payment has not been received by the town by the close of business on the twentieth day of the month following the billing period, the town shall take the following steps to notify the user and any other individual related to the account whose information is on file with the town clerk of the delinquency and that, if necessary, water service will be terminated.
A. On or about the twenty-first day of the month following the billing period, the town clerk’s office shall give written notice sent by regular mail, postage prepaid to the service address and any other address on file with the clerk’s office relating to the delinquent account that:
1. The account is delinquent and the amount of the delinquency;
2. Water service will be terminated if the account is not paid in full by the close of business on the tenth day of the month following the date of the delinquency notice;
3. The right to protest the billing and appeal the amount due to the town clerk by contacting the town clerk at Town Hall, 14 N.W. Division Street, P.O. Box 214, Wilbur, WA 99185-0214; telephone: (509) 647-5821; email: tow@wilburwa.com within ten days of the date of the delinquency notice.
4. If the town does not receive payment in full of the delinquent amount and any other amounts then due by the close of business on the tenth day of the month following the date of the delinquency notice or any extensions thereof resulting pursuant to the provisions of subsection (A)(3) of this section, the water service related to the delinquent account will be terminated, including shutting off that water service. (Ord. 570 §3, 2015: Ord. 242 (part), 1991)
13A.35.040 Additional and special charges.
A. Delinquent Payments.
1. Administrative Fee. Whenever water service has been terminated because of delinquency, an administrative fee will be added to the account, in addition to any other charges. The administrative fee is due whether or not the water service is shut off. The account balance, including all late and administrative fees, must be paid in full before water service will be restored. The amount of the administrative fee shall be as set by resolution of the town council.
2. If the person responsible for the payment of the account has not paid the account in full on three or more occasions during the previous twelve-month period, the town clerk may require a deposit for future water charges, in an amount to be set by resolution by the city council, prior to restoring water service.
B. Special Reading Charge. If special readings are requested by the user or another individual relating to the account on file with the clerk’s office, there shall be a charge for each reading which shall be added to the account in such amount as shall be set by resolution of the town council.
C. Special Turn-Off and Turn-On Charges. A fee as shall be set by resolution of the town council shall be charged to turn off or to turn on the water service to any building when water has been or will be turned off for the purpose of:
1. Making within the building of any inspection, repair, maintenance, enlargement, replacement, addition or change in or to the water line or water lines or plumbing, or plumbing fixtures; or
2. Connecting any kind of machine, appliance, toilet, bath facilities or any other kind of plumbing in or to the water line located within the building; or
3. When turn-off and turn-on has been requested because of temporary vacancy.
D. Meter and Services Installation Charges. Whenever water service is requested, there shall be a charge for installation of the service line, meter, meter box and appurtenances. The charges, and any deposit which shall be required, shall be established by resolution of the town council.
E. Water Infrastructure Fee. From and after September 1, 2023, until all vital projects for the water system are completed and a subsequent ordinance is passed by the council changing the water rates, all customers shall pay an additional five dollars per account per month in addition to the base fee. This additional charge is necessary to help fund replacement of aging water mains and lines. This fee of five dollars per account per month is assessed to every property that is physically connected to the town’s water system regardless of usage. (Ord. 614 §1, 2023; Ord. 570 §4, 2015: Ord. 242 (part), 1991)
13A.35.050 Lien for delinquent charges.
Pursuant to the provisions of Sections 35.21.290 and 35.21.300 of the Revised Code of Washington as now existing and in accordance with any amendments that may hereafter be made thereto, the town shall have a lien for unpaid and delinquent water consumption charges and other charges provided for in this chapter. (Ord. 242 (part), 1991)