Grand Terrace Municipal Code Art. II Billing and Collection

Sewer bills shall be sent to the owner, occupant or other applicant for sewer service of the property to be served. Those parties shall be responsible for the payment thereof. The property owner, occupant or other party making application for sewer service may, if they wish, make special arrangements with the city for bills to be sent to other persons, rather than that applicant. Thereafter, the parties shall be liable, jointly or severally, for the payment of the sewer bills.

(Ord. 51 § 1, 1981)

Sewer service charges shall be billed on a bimonthly basis, in advance of service. All such charges will be due and payable on the date of such billing, and shall become delinquent thirty days thereafter. Thirty days after the date of billing, a second notice of sewer charges due and payable shall be sent. After the expiration of an additional thirty-day period, a final notice shall be forwarded notifying the party that service shall be disconnected fifteen days from the date of the second notice unless payment is made by that date.

(Ord. 51 § 2, 1981)

The final notice shall contain a statement that an appeal to this disconnection may be filed with the office of the city manager prior to the disconnection date. Upon filing of the appeal with the city manager, the disconnection shall be stayed pending final determination of the appeal by the city manager. The city manager shall give the appellant an opportunity to appear and to be heard within ten days of the filing of the appeal. The administrative decision of the city manager shall be final.

(Ord. 51 § 2A, 1981)

As an alternative method of enforcing the provisions of this article and other ordinances, resolutions, and rules and regulations of the city relating to sewer service, the city may disconnect the user from the sewer mains of the city.

(Ord. 51 § 3, 1981)

During the period of such disconnection, habitation of such premises by human beings shall constitute a public nuisance, whereupon the city shall cause proceedings to be brought for the abatement of the occupancy of such 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 the cost of suit arising in such action.

(Ord. 51 § 4, 1981)

The city and its officers, agents and employees shall not be answerable for any liability or injury or death to any person or damage to any property arising during or growing out of the performance of any work by any applicant for sewer service. The applicant shall be answerable for, and shall save the city and its officers, agents and employees harmless from any liability imposed by law upon the city or its officers, agents or employees, including all costs, expenses, fees and interest incurred in defending same or in seeking to enforce this provision. The applicant shall be solely liable for any defects in the performance of his work or any failure which may develop therein.

(Ord. 51 § 5, 1981)

Any person violating any of the provisions of this article or any other ordinances, rules or regulations of the city pertaining to the sewer system shall become liable to the city for any expense, loss or damage sustained by the city by reason of such violation.

(Ord. 51 § 6, 1981)

When sewer service to a property is to be discontinued, the city shall disconnect the sewer and shall post on the property a notice that the property shall not be inhabited or used by human beings or any sewage produced thereon until the sewage is reconnected.

(Ord. 51 § 7, 1981)

Delinquent charges, plus penalties, both of which shall be established by resolution of the city council, shall constitute a lien upon the real property served, except that no such lien shall be created against any publicly owned property, and such lien shall continue until the charge and all penalties thereon are fully paid, or the property sold therefor. A list of all such delinquent charges, plus penalties, shall be recorded at least every six months. In the event a lien is filed for unpaid sewer service charges or any action at law is commenced for the collection of unpaid sewer service charges, such unpaid charges shall bear interest at the rate of one-half of one percent per month from the date of delinquency of each charge.

(Ord. 51 § 8, 1981)

After a building sewer has been disconnected from the sewer system, it shall not be reconnected until all such delinquent charges, plus penalties, all charges which have accrued since the date of disconnection, any supplementary connection charges, and the estimated cost of reconnection have been paid. A deposit may be required by the city to cover the estimated cost of the disconnection and reconnection. In such event, any unused portion of the deposit shall be returned to the party and any excess costs over and above the amount of the deposit shall be billed to that party. All of the charges, deposit and other amounts required to be paid shall be paid before the building sewer is reconnected to the sewer system.

(Ord. 51 § 9, 1981)

After service to a property has been terminated, the sewer connection permit issued for the property shall be considered cancelled. The permit and service shall not be considered as restored until all delinquent charges, plus penalties, all charges which have accrued since the time of termination, and any other charges established by the city council have been paid. All of the charges, deposits and other amounts required to be paid shall be paid before the permit and service are restored.

(Ord. 51 § 10, 1981)