§ 98-172. Guarantee deposit.

(a)

Before the water may be turned on at any premises, a deposit of $40.00 shall be required for each new or reconnected water customer.

(b)

Landowners may elect to make only one security deposit to cover one or more unoccupied premises or structures. The security deposit shall be $40.00. Whenever the premises or structure is occupied or has received a certificate of occupancy, the security deposits as otherwise provided in this Code shall apply. An additional security deposit, equal to two months' average bills, as reasonably estimated by the administrator shall be required under any of the following conditions:

(1)

The customer has failed to pay the bill by the penalty date three or more times in the previous 12-month period.

(2)

The customer has misrepresented their identity for the purpose of obtaining service.

(3)

The customer has engaged in unauthorized or fraudulent use or procurement of service or tampered with wires, meters or other utility equipment.

This additional deposit shall be refunded when none of the above conditions has existed during the most recent 12-month period. The additional deposit is not intended as a sanction, and shall not preclude prosecution for violation of any of the requirements of this Code.

(c)

The board of directors waives the security deposits for any agency of the state.

(d)

Security deposit refunds shall be without interest. However, security deposits shall not be refunded unless the user has a two-year uninterrupted payment history that has not been delinquent. The term "security deposit," for the purpose of this subsection, shall refer only to residential deposits.

(Ord. No. 98-07, § 2(10.12.02), 3-17-1998; Ord. No. 13-15, § I, 3-19-2013)

Editor's note

Section I of Ord. No. 13-15, adopted March 19, 2013, changed the title of § 98-172 from "Guarantee deposit; returned check charges" to "Guarantee deposit."