Alhambra Municipal Code Ch. 15.08 Rates

The City Council by resolution shall fix and establish the rates and compensation to be charged and collected by the city for all water furnished or supplied within the city and for any and all services rendered by the city in connection therewith.

('86 Code, § 15.08.010) (Ord. 3080, passed - - ; Am. Ord. 3924, passed - - ; Am. Ord. 3987, passed - - ; Am. Ord. 4043, passed - - )

The City Manager or the Superintendent of the Water Department is hereby authorized to adjust complaints and to grant rebates from the rates specified in this chapter to indigent persons. In the event of any dispute as to the water rate to be paid by any consumer, the City Manager or the Superintendent of the Water Department is hereby authorized to determine the adjustment subject to the approval of the City Council; provided that a claim in writing therefor, duly verified by the person paying such rate, his or her attorney, duly authorized agent, guardian, or his or her executor or administrator, shall have been filed with the Director of Finance within one year after the date or payment of the amount sought to be rebated or adjusted. Such claim shall include the name and address of the claimant, the amount and date of payment sought to be refunded, and state under penalty of perjury the reasons or grounds upon which the claim for refund is based. The claim shall be on forms furnished by the Director of Finance. In no case shall any judgment be rendered for the plaintiff in any proceeding brought to enforce the payment of any claim arising hereunder if such action or proceeding is brought by any person other than the persons designated herein. Except as expressly provided herein, § 3.16.060(C) of this code shall apply to claims filed hereunder.

('86 Code, § 15.08.030) (Ord. 2028, passed - -; Am. Ord. 4320, passed 3-24-97)

All rates except meter rates are due and payable monthly in advance. Meter rates are due and payable when rendered and are subject to having the water shut off without further notice and a penalty of $5 added to the water bill or bills if not paid promptly. All water bills are delinquent 15 days after the date of billing.

('86 Code, § 15.08.040) (Ord. 2028, passed - - ; Am. Ord. 3529, passed - - ; Am. Ord. 3880, passed - - )

(A) Every application for water service shall be accompanied by a cash deposit, except that an applicant whose credit with the city has been established need make no deposit. A person who has paid his water bills promptly each month, before it becomes past due, to the city for a period of at least one year shall be considered to have established satisfactory credit with the city. If the applicant is the owner of and resides at a single family premise to be served by the Department, he shall be considered to have estab-lished satisfactory credit with the city.

(B) In the event that a deposit is required to guarantee payment for water used, any consumer required to make a deposit shall be required to do so within five days. If a deposit is not made within the time specified, water service may be discontinued; and, in such an event, a charge in accordance with § 15.04.010 shall be made for turning on the water. The deposit shall be retained by the city until the service is closed, at which time it shall be applied to the current bill and any balance due shall be refunded. At the expiration of one year after a closing bill has been rendered and after two written notices to the depositor of record have been sent, and if such depositor of record does not claim the deposit balance within such one-year period, the deposit or remaining balance thereof shall be forfeited and shall be transferred to the operating account of the Water Department.

('86 Code, § 15.08.050) (Ord. 2028, passed - - ; Am. Ord. 3554, passed - - )

If a meter fails to register during any period or is known to register inaccurately, the consumer shall be charged with an average daily consumption at the same season, as shown by the meter when in use and registering accurately.

('86 Code, § 15.08.060) (Ord. 2028, passed - - )

In case a property becomes vacant the regular minimum rate shall be charged and collected from the owner thereof whether water is used or not unless the Water Department is notified in writing of the fact that the property is unoccupied and has been requested to cut off the water.

('86 Code, § 15.08.070) (Ord. 2028, passed - - )

Service laterals extended in and along the street parkway subsequent to the installation of water service laterals installed prior to repaving the street or any extension from an existing service shall be charged for at the cost of materials and labor used, except the meter and meter box, plus a charge to cover overhead to be determined by the city. The Superintendent of the Water Department is hereby authorized to require a deposit of a sufficient sum of money to cover the cost of such installation.

('86 Code, § 15.08.080) (Ord. 3142, passed - - )

(A) In addition to any other remedy provided herein for the enforcement and collection of any water rate, charge or account, all rates or other charges provided for in this chapter shall be charged against the property on which the water is furnished and against the owner thereof and shall be deemed delinquent at the same time and in the same manner as the next regular water bill and shall be a lien against the property where furnished and, if for any cause any sums owing therefor become delinquent, the water shall be shut off and in no case shall it be turned on to the same property until all such delinquencies shall have been paid in full, and such property owner shall be responsible to the city in an action prosecuted in any court of competent jurisdiction for the amount of all such rates or other charges as may be due and unpaid, together with all penalties provided herein.

(B) No change of ownership or occupation shall in any way affect the application of this section.

('86 Code, § 15.08.090) (Ord. 2028, passed - - )