§ 20-70. Bills for water and sewer services; delinquency; discontinuing service for nonpayment; service continuation charge; reconnect service charge; disconnect fee.

(a)

Utility bills shall be rendered monthly, and no discount shall be allowed for prompt payment thereof. Payments will be applied first to public service tax and then to stormwater drainage fees, penalties, miscellaneous fees and garbage collection fees if such charges apply, then to sewer charges and lastly, to charges for water service. If payment on any bill is not received within twenty (20) days following the date of the bill, a late charge equal to ten per cent (10%) of the unpaid balance shall be added thereto. If payment on any bill is not received within twenty-nine (29) days of the bill date, service on the account shall be disconnected.

(b)

In the event that service is scheduled to be disconnected for nonpayment of the customer's bill in accordance with subsection (a) above, service shall be continued or reconnected only after all delinquent and current charges on the account are paid, along with a service continuation charge of fifteen dollars ($15.00) and a reconnect charge of five dollars ($5.00) if service has actually been disconnected.

(c)

In the event that service is disconnected for nonpayment of a bill for two (2) consecutive months, the reevaluated additional deposit calculated in accordance with subsection 20-32 (a)(1) shall be collected in addition to the above charges before service can be restored.

(d)

In the event that service is disconnected for any reason, service shall not be restored to the property until all outstanding charges on the account are paid, except as required by F.S. § 180.135, as amended from time to time. If the city is requested to disconnect a customer's service temporarily, a disconnection fee of ten dollars ($10.00) will be added to the customer's first bill after reconnection to the city's water system, which shall also include a reconnection fee of ten dollars ($10.00) (a total of twenty dollars ($20.00)).

(e)

When reconnection to the city's water system requires the installation of a meter, not withstanding the reason for which the service was previously disconnected, a service charge of twenty dollars ($20.00) for reconnection and installation of the meter shall be required.

(f)

Any unpaid water and sewer utility fees shall constitute a lien against the property, when such fees are for an account in the name of the property owner, which lien shall be prior to all other liens on such property except the liens of the state, county and municipal taxes and shall be on a parity with the lien of such state, county and municipal taxes. Such lien when delinquent for more than thirty (30) days may be foreclosed by the city in the manner provided by the laws of the state for the foreclosure of mortgages on real property.

(g)

Existing single family residence may finance the total cost of water and sewer impact fees and connection charges. The amount financed shall be amortized over a ten (10) year period of time at a rate of interest equal to the lower of the city's financing cost for that specific improvement or the city's prevailing yield on investments. The property owner shall, in writing, authorize the city to include the monthly payment as part of the monthly utility bill for water and sewer service and said monthly payment shall be deemed part of the monthly utility bill for all collection purposes, including but not limited to termination of utility service.

(Ord. No. 86-22, § 1, 9-16-86; Ord. No. 88-04, 4-12-88; Ord. No. 89-24, 9-13-89; Ord. No. 92-05, § 1, 2-11-92; Ord. No. 99-06, § 1, 5-11-99; Ord. No. 99-07, § 1, 5-11-99)