Buellton Municipal Code Ch. 13.64 Collection and Enforcement

A. Charges Collectible Together. No payment of water charges shall be accepted without payment of the sewer service charges. The city shall discontinue water service to any premises for which the sewer service charges are in arrears.

B. Premises Using Both Sewer and Water. When premises are served by the city water system, sewer service charges shall be collected together with and not separately from the charges for water services rendered by the city, and all charges shall be billed upon the same bill and collected as one item. If all or any part of the bill is not paid, the city may discontinue any and all services for which the bill was rendered.

C. Premises Using Only Sewer. Where the user of the sewer system is not a user of the city water system, he or she shall be billed separately for sewer services charges.

D. Penalty on Delinquency. All bills not paid within 20 days of billing shall be delinquent and penalties shall be such as set forth by resolution of the council.

E. Public Nuisance During Disconnection. During the period of such disconnection, inhabitation of such premises by human beings shall constitute a public nuisance, whereupon the council shall cause proceedings to be brought for the abatement of the occupancy of the premises by human beings during the period of such disconnection. In such event, and as a condition of reconnection, there is to be paid to the city a reasonable attorney's fee and costs of suit arising in the action.

F. Enforcement, Not Penalty. The foregoing procedure for disconnection delinquent premises is established as a means of enforcement of collection of the charges, and not as a penalty.

G. Suit. All unpaid rates and charges and penalties provided in this chapter may be collected by suit. Defendant shall pay all costs of suit in any judgment rendered in favor of city.

H. Contract. All users of the water system shall be deemed to have contracted with the city for the services of such system and to have agreed to comply with all the regulations of the city in regard thereto.

(Prior code §§ 14.85.001 — 14.85.008; Ord. 94-1 § 1, 1994)