§ 20-42. Charges for broken locks, water obtained after service terminated.

(a)

If water service is terminated for nonpayment and then reestablished under the same account number and, upon reestablishing the water service, it is determined that the water lock has been broken, there will be an additional twenty-dollar charge included on the next month's bill.

(b)

If water service is terminated for nonpayment and then reestablished under the same account number and, upon reestablishing the water service, it is determined that there has been water usage during the period of time that water service was shut off, the account shall be billed for the water usage on the next month's water bill.

(c)

If water service has been discontinued and the water account closed, it shall be a violation of the city's Code of Ordinances for an individual to remove the water lock from the water meter and/or turn on the water. Violations shall be prosecuted in the same manner as other Code violations. If an individual is found guilty, in addition to the fines normally levied for Code violations, the twenty-dollar charge for the damaged lock and the charge for the amount of water used shall be added to the next water bill for the structure that received the benefit of the illegally obtained water. If such structure does not have a water account with the city, then such charges will be added to the fine levied for the Code violation.

(Ord. No. 96-12, § 1, 7-23-96)