13.20.030 Billing procedures.
A. Billing Date. Utility bills will be sent out on or before the 5th of each month, which is the “billing date.”
B. Due Date. Customer payment is due on or before the 20th day of the same month as the bill, by 9:00 a.m., which is the “due date.”
C. Late Fee. A late fee will be added to the bill if the bill is not paid by the due date. The late fee of $25.00 will be charged on any bill not paid by the due date.
D. Shut-Off Date. A shut-off notice (consistent with SPMC 13.20.050) will be sent to all customers who are delinquent on their utility account. Customers have seven days from the 20th day of the same month as the bill (the “delinquent due date”) to pay the delinquent account. If the account is not paid in full, water services will be shut off until the account has been paid. If the delinquent due date falls on a holiday, Saturday or a Sunday, the bill will then become due at 9:00 a.m. on the first business day following the holiday or weekend.
E. Dispatch Fee. A dispatch fee of $50.00 will be charged to an account if the account is not paid as set forth in subsection D of this section and the water service will be shut off.
F. Turn-On Fee. If the customer brings the account current and, within 23 months thereafter, pays the water turn-on fee, the town shall turn the water service back on. The water turn-on fee is $50.00 if paid during Town Hall office hours, and $100.00 if paid during non-Town Hall office hours.
G. Interest – Sewer. The town may charge eight percent per annum computed on a monthly basis on delinquent sewer charges, or charges that are not paid by the due date. (RCW 35.67.200)
H. Liens.
1. Water. If water service charges are delinquent, the town may take action to collect the charges and perform the enforcement actions in this chapter, including but not limited to the collection of the base rate and penalties, by shutting off the water as set forth in this section.
2. Sewer.
a. The town shall have a lien for delinquent and unpaid charges, late fees and interest against the premises to which the service has been furnished or is available, for a period of one year, without the necessity of any writing or recording of a lien with the county auditor. (RCW 35.67.200, 35.67.215, 35.67.190)
b. Alternatively, the town may enforce the sewer lien by cutting off the water service to which the sewer service was furnished, after the charges become delinquent, and unpaid, until the charges are paid. (RCW 35.67.290)
I. Payment by Check or Money Order Only. The town will not accept cash from any customers, but the town will accept checks and money orders. Payments received on each service account shall be applied in the following priority to outstanding account balances: sewer first, water second, administrative charges last. Receipts shall be credited to the oldest balances first.
J. Returned Check Fee. A $25.00 fee shall be assessed, per account, on any returned check. The customer shall then pay with money order the amount of the returned payment, plus the returned check fee of $25.00 and any fee the town accrues from their banking institution in regards to the returned check.
K. Equal Payment Plan. The customer (whether tenant or owner of the premises) may request to make monthly payments of utility charges on an annual average basis rather than a monthly basis, with periodic adjustments to ensure that the amount paid on an annual basis reflects the actual charges incurred. This applies only if you’ve lived in the same place for at least 12 months, have no overdue balance and must be in good standing for the past six months. This is not a discount to your rates. [Ord. 567 § 2 (9.04.030), 2018.]