ORD 2212 ORDINANCE /
IN NCE NO .
AN ORDINANCE amending Section 13 . 44 of the
Camas Municipal Code by revising the procedures
for billing and collection of water and sewer charges .
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CAMAS DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS :
Section I
Section 13 . 44 . 010 of the Camas Municipal Code is amended to provide as follows :
13 . 44 . 010 - Charges Metered Service Billing Intervals
A . All residential and most commercial water services shall be billed at regular
intervals and shall be due and payable on the 5th day of the month following
billing . Such billings shall be delinquent on the 26th day of the month following
billing .
Be All industrial and some commercial services shall be billed monthly , and shall be
due and payable on the 5th day of each month following billing . Such billing shall
be delinquent on the 26th day of each month following billing .
C . A customer shall be charged the sum of $ 20 . 00 for each non- sufficient fund check ,
or a check written on a closed account and returned by the bank to the City .
D . There shall be a penalty fee on all delinquent accounts assessed at the rate of five
percent of the outstanding balance with a minimum of $ 8 . 00 per utility account .
Section II
Subsection 13 . 44 . 020 (D ) of the Camas Municipal Code is amended to provide as follows :
13 . 440020 (D � - NoLap ayment Shutoff Hearing Disconnection Fees .
D . In the event a hearing is requested , the amount tendered by the customer shall be
deposited into the customer account . At the hearing , the person requesting the
hearing shall be entitled to give testimony , call and cross - examine witnesses , and
present any relevant documentary evidence . Following the hearing , the Board of
Adjustment shall render its decision in writing . If all or a portion of the charges are
found not to be owing , such amount shall be refunded to the customer or credited to
the customer ' s account .
Section III
Subsection 13 . 44 . 020 (E) of the Camas Municipal Code is amended to provide as follows :
13044002 - Nonpayment Shutoff Hearing Disconnection Fees .
E . Whenever a disconnection is made , a $ 35 . 00 fee shall be charged . If a request to
reconnect the service occurs after 4 : 00 p . m . , then an additional charge shall be
made as follows :
1 . A request for reconnecting service between the hours of 4 : 00 p . m . to 5 : 00
p . m . that requires an employee to work past regular working hours causing
overtime pay , shall be charged the disconnection fee plus an additional
$ 5 . 00 .
2 . At all other times and on holidays , the customer shall be charged the
disconnection fee plus an additional $ 55 . 00 .
Ordinance No . Page 2
Section IV
Subsection 13 . 44 . 020 ( G) of the Camas Municipal Code is amended to provide as follows :
13044002 - Nonpayment Shutoff Hearing Disconnection Fees .
G . There shall be an additional charge of $ 18 . 00 for each time a service is found
wrongfully or illegally reconnected after being disconnected for nonpayment .
Section V
Subsection 13 . 44 . 020 (H) of the Camas Municipal Code is amended to provide as follows :
13044002 - Nonpayment Shutoff Hearing Disconnection Fees .
H . If a meter or spacer must be removed , padlocked , or other means used to prevent
illegal reconnection of a service , then there shall be an additional charge of $ 40 . 00
for removal of such meter or spacer .
Section VI
Section 13 . 44 . 030 of the Camas Municipal Code is amended to provide as follows :
130440030 - Adjustments for Broken Pipes .
When a property owner , in any given billing period because of a broken water pipe on the
owner ' s premises , has used , according to the meter , a quantity of water which is more than
double the average amount of water used on such premises in similar billing periods in
prior years , a written application may be made to the finance director , for a reduction to
said billing . If the application states that there was a broken pipe on the owner ' s premises
which caused the large consumption of water , upon verification by inspection by public
works employees of such fact and it is established that such broken pipe has been repaired
and approved by the director of public works , the finance director shall authorize a credit
to such billing as follows :
ion will be determined by adding the consumption of the prior
Average water consumpt
two billings and dividing by two . If the prior two months include summer months and
there appears to be sprinkling occurring , then the average water consumption will be
calculated on the two prior billings that did not include sprinkling .
The average consumption will then be deducted from the consumption which occurred at
the time of the broken water pipe . The difference will be divided in half and multiplied by
the current water rate to determine the credit .
If the broken pipe occurs on commercial property , a sewer credit may also be granted
based on the above formula multiplied by the current sewer rate .
The credit shall apply to a maximum of two billings and only up through the day of repair .
No additional credit shall be given for a delay in repair of pipes beyond one billing period .
The reduction provided for by this section shall not be allowed if such excess water
consumption is due to the owner ' s neglect or failure to repair the water system of the
premises . A reduction shall not be permitted if such excess consumption is due to leaking
faucets , other plumbing fixtures or irrigation systems .
Section VII
Section 13 . 44 . 040 of the Camas Municipal Code is amended to provide as follows :
Ordinance No . Page 3
13 . 44 . 040 - Service Termination .
Each customer about to vacate any premises supplied with water service by the city shall
give notice of his intended removal at least two days prior thereto ; specifying the date
change - in- ownership actually occurred , otherwise , he will be responsible for all water
supplied to the premises until the city water department has notice of such removal .
At the time specified by the customers of the termination of their water service , a reading
of the water meter will be made and a bill shall be rendered based on the proportionate
days of usage .
Section VIII
This ordinance shall take force and be in effect five ( 5 ) days from and after its publication
according to law .
PASSED by the Council and APPROVED by the Mayor thi �j' (Y day of July , 1999 .
SIGNED : /
(000 Mayor
ATTEST :
� Clerk
APPROVED as to form :
City Attorney