§ 154-114. Deposits for water service.

(a)

The commissioner is authorized and directed to require deposits from customers as follows:

(1)

Prior to, and as a condition of, the establishment of water service at any address within the service area of the water department.

(2)

Prior to, and as a condition of, the restoration of water service terminated for nonpayment of charges due at any address within the service area of the water department, after any credit from a deposit previously made by the customer is applied to charges due.

(3)

New applicants for water service that qualify for assistance under the established guidelines of the care and conserve program may elect to split the required deposit into four equal payments over a four-month period.

(4)

As adequate assurance of payment from customers of the water department who have commenced a case under the United States Bankruptcy Code or from the bankruptcy trustees.

(b)

The amount of the deposit required for single-family residential, commercial and industrial meters will be as follows:

Meter Size  (inches)	Deposit
¾	$   80.00
1 to 2	140.00
3 to 4	300.00
6 to 8	500.00
10 to 12	1,200.00

 

(c)

The amount of the deposit required as adequate assurance of payment from bankruptcy debtors or their trustees in bankruptcy shall be based on the rate of two periods of average billings.

(d)

No deposit shall be required from customers who request the transfer of water service to a different address within the service area, provided that no action to terminate service has been taken at the customer's present service address within the previous 24 billing periods, and further provided that no payments are overdue at the customer's present service address.

(e)

Deposits made on accounts shall be refunded, provided no action to terminate service has been taken, after five years of uninterrupted water service.

(f)

When accounts are closed, the deposit collected for such accounts shall be applied to any unpaid balance. Any funds remaining for the account after unpaid balances are satisfied shall be refunded within 60 days without interest, or upon customer request, shall be transferred without interest to another account to serve as a deposit or a portion of the required deposit for such new account.

(g)

Any deposit returned to the department with no forwarding address, or otherwise unclaimed within 12 months after the account to which it is credited is closed, shall be transferred from the water and sewer revenue fund to the water and sewage renewal and extension fund.

(h)

There will be a nonrefundable charge of $15.00 applied to every account at the time it is established to cover administrative costs. Changing the name on the account at the customer's request shall be considered establishing an account. This charge will appear on the customer's first bill.

(i)

For multiple-dwelling unit account, the deposit shall be $25.00 per living unit.

(Code 1977, § 9-4004; Ord. No. 1995-12, 4-24-95; Ord. No. 2008-04(07-O-2586), §§ 1—3, 1-30-08)

Editor's note

It should be noted that all unclaimed deposits will be handled in accordance with applicable local and state law.