13.20.010 Water and sewer fund – Utility service accounts.
A. Fund Established. The town hereby establishes a water fund for the operation of water utility supplying water to customers of the town. The town hereby establishes a sewer fund for the provision of sewage collection, disposal and treatment to customers of the town.
B. Individual accounts must be established for all customers:
1. Created. The town shall create a utility service account for all active utility accounts.
2. Name on Account. The utility service account shall be in the name of the property owner. If the property is rented, the manner in which duplicate bills will be processed is set forth in SPMC 13.20.040. When a utility account is in a tenant’s name, the owner or the owner’s designee shall notify the town within 14 days of the termination of the rental agreement and vacation of the premises.
C. Deposits. Prior to furnishing utility services, the town may require a deposit to guarantee payment for services. (RCW 35.21.217)
1. Customer utility deposits shall be a one-time flat fee of $150.00.
2. This deposit will be waived for owners of the premises if they demonstrate:
a. The utility account will be billed in the owner’s name and the owner of the dwelling has had no delinquencies in the past one year on any utility account with the town; or
b. The owner of the dwelling produces a current “letter of credit” from their previous utility company, stating that there have been no delinquencies, shut-offs, or NSF checks on the owner’s utility account for the past year.
3. If an existing utility account is shut off for nonpayment and there is no utility deposit on file, the town may require a utility deposit in the amount of $150.00, plus any other fees owed on the account, prior to re-establishing service.
4. The utility deposit will be refunded in full after the final bill has been paid on the account.
5. A property owner may fill out an application that allows the bill to be in the renter’s name, but the owner is ultimately responsible for the outstanding account balance.
6. Renters are required to pay the deposit of $150.00 if the account is to be established in the renter’s name.
D. Service Commencement Date. Billing for utility services shall commence for each service on the date of connection of each service to the property or the date of closing of sale of a property. [Ord. 567 § 2 (9.04.010), 2018.]