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ORDINANCE NO.2724
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 13.12 OF THE MOSES LAKE MUNICIPAL
CODE ENTITLED "WATER,SEWER,AND STORMWATER RATES"
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MOSES LAKE,WASHINGTON ORDAINS AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1.Chapter 13.12 of the Moses Lake Municipal Code entitled "Water,Sewer,and Stormwater Rates"
is amended as follows:
13.12.053 Water Service Termination Procedures:
A.The provisions of this section shall govern all terminations of water service for non-payment
of City charge and/or installments and surcharges.
B. Ifbythe paymentdateshown on a water,sewer,garbage,ambulance,and stormwater bill,the
City has not received complete paymentof the amount shown on the bill the Cityshall mailto,
or personallyserve upon,the customera notice of termination.The notice of termination shall
be sentwith the current month's bill.The notice shall indicate the amount past due.
C.The notice of termination shall contain the following:
1.The amount past due and the amount of the current month's billing.
2.The date of the notice of termination.
3.The date of termination,which shall be no less than ten (10)days from the date of the
notice oftermination.
4. Notice thatunless the Cityreceives complete payment of the amount pastdue priorto the
date of termination,water service shall be terminated.
5. Notice that in lieu of paying the entire amount shown, a customer,prior to the date of
termination, may notify the Citythat he disputes the correctness ofallor partofthe amount
shown,ifall or part of the amount shown was not the subject of a previous dispute.
6. Noticethat thirty dollars($30)will be assessed as a delinquentservice charge ifnotpaid
and received bythe Finance Department,Utilities Division,by5 p.m. on the day priorto
the dateshown on the delinquent notice provided noformal dispute has been filed withthe
Finance Department as set forth in this section.
7. An informational telephone number.
8. Noticethat eightydollars ($80)will be assessed as a service charge forallwater tum-ons
or turn-offs after 4:00 p.m. and before 8:00 a.m. and at any other time which is not a
normal working day of the City,such as weekends or legal holidays.
D.Ifthe Cityreceives payment ofthe past due amount shown on the noticeoftermination,such
payment shall be considered a timely and complete paymentfor purposes ofthisordinance.
13.12.060 Payment of Accounts:
A.Water, sewer, garbage, and stormwater bills shall be the responsibility ofand billed directly to
the property owner, unless the propertyowner wishes the bill sent to another address,the
same shall be due and payable withinthirty(30)days ofthe billing date.Ifthe property owner
wishes the bill sent to another address,the property owner first must execute a form provided
bythe Cityof Moses Lake indicating the propertyowner's desires.The formshall includethe
ORDINANCE NO.2724
PAGE 2 August26, 2014
property owner's name and address,the address to which the bill shall be sent,and a
statementthatifthe person at the addressto which the billis sent moves and leaves an unpaid
balance,the property owner assumes responsibility for the bill.The billing dates for utility
accounts shall be as follows:
Routes 1 through 15 on the 20th ofeach month
Routes 16 through 29 on the 30th of each month
Routes 50 through 60, 70, and 71 on the 10th of each month
B.The property owners of commercial accounts and governmental agencies may sign
agreements requesting that their monthly statements be mailed to service addresses.The
statement will contain the same information referred to in subsection A.
C.The City reserves the right to cut off the water supply from the premises.The water supply
may be cut off ifeitherthe water charge,sewer charge,garbage charge,ambulance charge,
or the stormwater charge is delinquent,and should the water supply be turned off for failure
to pay either the sewer charge,water charge,garbage charge,ambulance charge,or
stormwater charge when due,the water supply shall not be turned on until all delinquent
charges have been paid in full.A service charge shall be assessed as set forth in Subsection
B of 13.12.085 and shall be added to the amount past due and will be billed on the next
month's statement.
D.The City shall have a lien againstthe premises forunpaid water,sewer,garbage,ambulance,
and stormwater charges as provided by the laws of the state.
E.Advance payments may be made on any water,sewer,garbage,ambulance,or stormwater
account.
F.Water servicewill not be terminated if there is a past due water,sewer,garbage,ambulance,
or stormwater charge of twenty dollars ($20) or less,subject to subsection G.
G. No water,sewer,garbage,ambulance,or stormwater bills shall be allowed to be more than
sixty (60)days past due regardless of the past due amount.If a water,sewer,garbage,
ambulance,or stormwater account is to become sixty (60)days past due,water service shall
be terminated as provided herein before the sixtieth (60th) day ends.
H. No water,sewer,garbage,ambulance,or stormwater account will be transferred to another
person,partnership,corporation,or other entity unless the account is brought current priorto
the requested transfer.
I.Property served by morethan one(1)meter mustkeep allaccounts current in accordancewith
this chapter inorderto avoid water service being terminated to all meters serving the property.
13.12.085 Service Charge:
A.The service charge for allwaterturn-ons or turn-offs after 4 p.m.and before 8 a.m.and at any
other timewhich is nota normal working day for the City shall be eightydollars ($80).This fee
is in addition to the fee imposed by this section.
B. A delinquent service charge of thirty dollars ($30) will be assessed on each water,sewer,
garbage,ambulance,or stormwater account or any combination of water,sewer,garbage,
ambulance,or stormwater service which is billed on one (1)account if not paid and received
by the Finance Department,Utilities Division, by 5 p.m.on the day priorto date shown on the
delinquent notice provided no disputes have been filed with the Finance Department as set
forth in Section 13.12.053.The thirtydollar($30)service charge is subject to the limitations /^"""N
of Subsections Fand G of Section 13.12.060.Ifwaterservice isterminated for non-payment '
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ORDINANCE NO.2724
PAGE 3 August 26,2014
of the account,the thirty dollar (S30)charge shall include turning the water back on from 8 a.m.
to 4 p.m.on normal City working days provided the occupant does not change.This fee is in
addition to the fee imposed by Subsection C.
C. A service fee of fifteen dollars ($15)shall be added to each new water,sewer,garbage,
ambulance,or stormwater account or any combination of water,sewer,garbage,ambulance,
or stormwater service which is billed on one (1)account.A service fee of fifteen dollars ($15)
shall be added for each change of service to another occupant.This fee shall include one (1)
water turn-on if applicable from 8 a.m.to 4 p.m.on normal City working days.
Section 2.This ordinance shall take effect and be in force five (5)days after its passage and publication of
its summary as provided by law.
Adopted by the City Council and signed by its Mayor on August 26,2014.
ATTEST
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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Katfiefine L.Kenison,City Attorney
Dick Deane,Mayor