1144_00001ORDINANCEN0..1144
ANORDINANCEAMENDINGCHAPTER13.12 OF THEMOSESLAKEMUNICIPALCODEENTITLED"WATERANDSEWERRATES"
THECITY COUNCILOF THECITY OF MOSESLAKE,WASHINGTONDOORDAINAS FOLLOWS:
Section 1.Section 13.12.053 of the Moses Lake Municipal Code Title 13.12 isamendedtoreadasfollows:
13.12.053 Water Service Termination Procedures:1 A.The provisions of this section shall govern
alb1 terminationsofwaterservicefornon-payment of city charge and/or in-stallments and surcharges.
B.If by the pa.yment date shown on a water and sewer bill,thecityhasnotreceivedcompletepaymentoftheamountshownonthebillthecityshallmailto,or personally serve upon,the customer a notice of termination.The notice of termina-tion shall be sent with the current month's bill.The noticeshallindicatetheamountpastdue.
C.The notice of termination shall contain the following:
1.The amount past due and the amount of the currentmonth'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 of termination.
4.Notice that unless the city receives complete payment oftheamountpastduepriortothedateoftermination,water service shall be terminated.
5.Notice that in lieu of paying the entire amount shown,acustomer,prior to the date of terminatioh,may notifythecitythathedisputesthecorrectnessofallorpartoftheamountshown,if all or part of the amount shownwasnotthesubjectofapreviousdispute.
6.Notice that $15 will be assessed as a delinquent servicechargeifnotpaidbythedateandtimeshownonthedelinquentnoticeprovidedthepaymentisnotextended
as set forth in this section.
7.An informational telephone number
8.A notice on the bill should state that extensions of thetimeallowedforpaymntsothatwaterservicetermina-tion is prevented will be handled by the Grant CountyCommunityActionCouncilpursuanttosubsectionD.
9.Notice that $30 will be assessed as a service charge forallwaterturn-ons or turn-offs after 4:00 p.m.and be-fore 8:00 a.m.and at any other time which is not a nor-mal working day of the city,such as weekends or legalIholidays.
D.If,prior to the date of termination,
1.The cit.y has not received complete payment of the pastdueamountshownonthenoticeoftermination;or
2.The customer has not notified the ct.y that he disputesthecorrectnessofallorpartoftheamountshownonthenoticeoftermination,
ORD.1144/Page 2
then the city shall terminate water service provided to the
customer on,the date of termination;provided;that a com-munity service organization namely the Grant County Communi-
ty Action Council;may make a request for up to a 14 day ex-
tension for any person;firm;association;sole proprietor-
ship,co-partnership,corporation or any other business en-
tity whatsoever.The cit.y will refer all requests it
receives from the aforementioned accounts to the Grant County
Community Action Council who will screen all requests.All
requests by the Grant County Community Action Council shall
be made in writing and delivered to the City of Moses Lake's
Finance Department before the water service is terminated.
At the expiration of the extension,if the past due amount
shown on the last notice of termination is not paid;the
water service shall be terminated and service will not be
permitted to be resumed until all past due amounts have been
paid.
E.If the city receives payment the past due amount shown on the
notice of termination prior to the date of termination,such
payment shall be considered a timely and complete payment for
purposes of this ordinance.
Section 2.Section 13.12.060 of the Moses Lake Municipal Code Title 13.12 is
amended to read as follows:
13.12.060 Payment of Accounts:
A.Water and sewer bills shall be the responsibility of and
billed directly to the owner of the real estate,unless the
owner of the real estate wishes the bill sent to another ad-
dress,the same shall be due and payable within 30 days of
the billing date.If the owner of the real estate wishes the
bill sent to another address,the owner of the real estate
first must execute a form provided by the City-of Moses Lake
indicating his desires.The form shall contain at a minimum;
the owner of the real estate's name and address,the address
to which he wishes the bill sent,and a statement that if the
person at the address to which the bill is sent moves and
leaves an unpaid balance;the owner of the real estate recog-
nizes his responsibilit.y for the bill.The billing date for
utility accounts shall be as follows:
Routes 1 through 15 on the 20th of each 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 statements
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 if either the
water charge or the sewer charge is delinquent;or both,and
should the water supply be turned off for failure to pay the
sewer charge and/or water 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 against the premises for unpaid
water and sewer charges as provided by the laws of the state.
E.Advance payments may be made on any garbage,water,or sewer
account.
F.Water service will not be terminated if there is a past due
water or sewer charge of $10 or less,subject to Subsection
G.
G.No water or sewer bills shall be allowed to be more than 60
days past due regardless of the past due amount.If a water
ORD.1144/Page 3
or sewer account is to become 60 days past due;water serviceshallbeterminatedasprovidedhereinbeforethe60thdayends.
H.No garbage,water,or sewer account will be transferrd toanotherperson,partnership;corporation,or other entityunlesstheaccountisbroughtcurrentpriortotherequestedtransfer.
I.Property served by more than one meter must keep all accountscurrentinaccordancewiththischapterinordertoavoidwaterservicebeingterminatedtoallmetersservingtheiproperty.
Section 3.Section 13.12.080 of the Moses Lake Municipal Code Title 13.12 isamendedtoreadasfollows:
13.12.080 Temporarily Vacant or Unoccupied Premises:
A.The minimum water and/or sewer service shall continue untilanorderinwritingtodiscontinueservicehasbeengiven.The water shall not be turned on or off until a request inwritingisgiven;on forms furnished by the cit,y;for theturningonoroffoftheservice.
B.When utility services are resumed or commenced during thelastfifteendaysofthebillingcycle;sewer shall bechargedforonlyahalfofamonth.Water shall be chargedbasedonconsumptionandbilledattheratesprovidedforbyordinance.
Section 4.Section 13.12.085 of the Moses Lake Municipal Code Title 13.12 isamendedtoreadasfollows:
13.12.085 Service Charge:
A.The service charge for all water turn-ons or turn-offs afteri4p.m.and before 8 a.m.and at any other time which is not anormalworkingdayforthecityshallbe$30.This fee is inadditiontoallotherfeesimposedbythissection.
B.A delinquent service charge of $15will be assessed on eachwatersewer;or garbage account or any combination of water,sewer or garbage service which is billed on one account ifnotpaidbythedateandtimeshownuponthedelinquentnoticeprovidednoextensionsaregrantedassetforthinSection13.12.053.The $15 service charge is subject to thelimitationsofSubsectionsFandGofSection13.12.060.Ifwaterserviceisterminatedfornon-payment of the account;the $15 fee shall include one turn-on from 8 a.m.to 4 p.m.on normal city working days provided the occupant does notchange.This fee is in addition to the fee imposed by Sub-section C.
C.A service fee of $6 shall be added to each new water,sewer;or garbage account or any combination of water,sewer or gar-bage service which is billed on one account.A service feeof$6 shall be added for each change of service to anotheroccupant.This fee shall include one water turn-on if ap-plicable from 8 a.m.to 4 p.m.on normal city working days.
I Section 5.This ordinance shall take effect and be in force October 1 1984;after its passage and publication as provided by law.
AA d by the Ci ncil and signed b yor 8,1984.
Ci ty C
Publish :9/19/84