DISTRICT BILLING POLICY
In order for us to maintain an excellent water supply and sewer collection and treatment system,
our customers need to pay their bills consistently, and on time. These funds allow us to pay our
bills, meet payroll for our employees, and maintain the system and equipment. Sometimes customers
ask us about our account payment policy. In order to avoid any misunderstanding or confusion, our
current billing, payment, delinquent and cut-off policy is stated below. These procedures apply to
the billing at the end of December 2001 for the billing period covered by that billing, and for each
following month until further notice of a change in policy is sent to you.
1. Meters are read on or around the 15th of calendar month, and bills are sent out during the
last few business days of the month during which meter are read.
2. Bills must be paid on time. Payment must be received in our office no later than 4:30
p.m. on the 15th day of each month next following the month in which bills were mailed. This
deadline is called the “Regular Monthly Due Date.” [If you pay by mail and mail your payment
on the due date, it will be late; even if you mail the payment the day before it is due, it still may
be late if we do not receive it on time. Customers paying by mail need to mail their payment far
enough ahead of time to be sure we receive payment by the due date. They may want to followup
on their payment by telephone to be sure we received the payment on time.] If the Regular
Monthly Due Date falls on a weekend or legal holiday, the due date for payment purposes shall
be the next business day after the due date, again by 4:30 p.m. Payment must be in full, including
any prior Late Fees, Service Charges and regulatory assessments. If full payment is not timely
received, your account is considered delinquent and will be charged a LATE FEE.
(currently $ 15.00) on the next working day.
3. Delinquent accounts are subject to the disconnection process. On the next business day
after the Regular Monthly Due Date, we will give separate, specific notice of our intention to
terminate service, which may be required by law or by our Tariff. The notice will contain all of
the required information and specify a payment deadline. If we still have not received payment
by 4:30 p.m. on the date specified in the notice, two things will happen. FIRST, your account will
be charged a Disconnection Fee (currently $25.00) at the time that our disconnect list is printed
on the next business day following that deadline. SECOND, our personnel will disconnect service
shortly after that payment deadline.
4. We are not obligated to accept payment of the bill when our employee is at the
customer’s location to disconnect service. If we choose to accept payment of the bill under those
circumstances, in lieu of physical disconnection of service, the customer must pay all charges
due, including unpaid charges for utility services, Late Fees, regulatory assessments, and
Disconnection Fee. By doing so the customer may avoid both the inconvenience of disconnected
service and also avoid incurring the Reconnection Fee if service is later restored (the
Reconnection Fee currently is 25.00).
5. If service is disconnected as provided in the preceding paragraph 3, service will remain
disconnected until all charges against the account are paid in full, including all unpaid charges
for utility services, regulator assessments, Late Fees, the Disconnection Fee and the Reconnection
Fee.
6. We reserve the right to disconnect service for any reason permitted by our Tariff or by
applicable law, and which in addition to due to does applicable law, in addition to the reasons
stated in this letter due to or arising from a customer’s failure to keep their account current, not
prohibit. Similarly, we will not disconnect service for reasons not permitted by our Tariff or for
reasons, which are prohibited by applicable law.
7. A disconnected service location whose account is brought current will be restored to
active service as soon as our schedule permits, and in any event within 36 hours after
the account is brought current. Our personnel will be available within normal business
hours to accept payment on the day service is disconnected and the day after service is
disconnected, unless the disconnection is at the customer’s request or due to the existence
of a dangerous condition related to the type of service provided.
As you can see, these procedures can be both complicated and expensive to customers
who do not pay their bills on time, in full each month. Unfortunately, the small percent of
customers who are chronically delinquent cost the District more than their fair share of
time, money and staff effort, so it is only fair that they pay the extra costs associated with
their delinquent accounts, rather than the customer base as a whole.
We are constantly striving to supply reliable and quality water and sewer service at the
lowest possible price. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this matter.
Please do not hesitate to contact our offices if you have any questions or need further
information about the contents of this letter.