The following is hereby established as a fee for each active water meter of the water distribution system of the City of Cottonwood Falls, Kansas:

(a)   Meter fee $15.00 per month.

(Ord. 919; Ord. 946; Code 2022)

(a)   The following rate is hereby established for all water furnished and delivered by and through the water system of the City of Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, to water customers within the city limits of said City:

(1)   For each 1,000 gallons per month $ 9.11.

(Ord. 695; Ord. 705; Ord. 721; Ord. 735; Ord. 736; Ord. 740; Ord. 743; Ord. 748; Ord. 755; Ord. 851; Ord. 919; Ord. 946; Code 2022)

(a)   The following rate is hereby established for all water furnished and delivered by and through the water system of the City of Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, to water customers outside the city limits of said city:

(1)   For each 1,000 gallons per month $10.61.

(Ord. 695; Ord. 705; Ord. 721; Ord. 735; Ord. 736; Ord. 740; Ord. 743; Ord. 748; Ord. 755; Ord. 851; Ord. 919; Ord. 946; Code 2022)

All bills for the delivery of water services shall be due and payable on or before the 10th day of each month following the month in which water is furnished, upon the next regular business day should the due date be either a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday. A penalty of ten percent (10%) of the total amount of the charges for the water delivered shall be added to each bill not paid within the time so stated.

(Ord. 938; Ord. 942; Code 2022)

A customer of the water department may request a hearing concerning his or her water bill including the payment thereof. The City Clerk is hereby appointed as the Hearing Officer for the conduct of hearings requested on water bills by the water department customer. A water department customer desiring a hearing must request said hearing by contacting the city clerk’s office at least three working days prior to the date of discontinuance of service. Upon request, the City Clerk shall schedule a hearing for the water customer prior to the date and time for the customer’s water service would be disconnected for non-payment of the customer’s bill. For reasonable grounds, the city clerk, as Hearing Officer, may extend the time for payment of customer’s water bill and penalty provided for in 15-204 of this Code for a period of not to exceed two weeks before service will be disconnected for non-payment.

(Ord. 823; Ord. 926; Ord. 938; Ord. 942; Code 2022)

Each water bill provided to a customer of the water department shall contain notification to the water customer that the bill for water service is due on the 101h day of the month following the month in which the water was furnished. The water bill shall notify the customer of the amount of water bill and the penalty provided for in 15-204, the date by which the bill must be paid before services will be disconnected, and the fact that the customer may request a hearing before the Hearing Officer regarding his or her water bill.

If a bill for water service remains unpaid two business days prior to the date water service will be disconnected for non-payment, a notice shall be given to the customers who have failed to pay their water bills. Said notice may be by mail or door hanger. Said notice shall at least notify the customer of the amount of the water bill and the penalty provided for in 15-204, the charge added for giving said notice, the date by which the bill must be paid before the service will be disconnected, and the fact that a customer may request a hearing before the Hearing Officer regarding his or her water bill. If the water department has to give the aforesaid notice because a customer has failed to pay his, her or its water bill, an additional charge of eight dollars ($8.00) shall be added to the customer’s water bill for the giving of said notice.

(Ord. 926; Ord. 938; Ord. 942; Code 2022)

If a customer’s water bill with the penalty and additional charge for giving notice, if any, remains unpaid at 5:00 p.m. on the 20th day of the month following the month in which the water was furnished, service will be disconnected at 8:00 a.m. on the 21st day of the month following the month in which the water was furnished. If the 21st day of the month following the month in which the water was furnished falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Legal Holiday, service will be disconnected on the next working day at 8:00 a.m. If the Hearing Officer has granted an extension of time for payment of the customer’s water bill as provided in 15-205, water service to the customer shall not be disconnected for non-payment until 8:00 a.m. of the next working day following the extension.

(Ord. 823; Ord. 886; Ord. 926; Ord. 938; Ord. 942; Code 2022)

If a water customer’s service is disconnected because of failure to pay when due, a reconnection charge shall be charged in the amount of One Hundred and No/100 Dollars ($100.00) in addition to the water bill, penalty and notice charge before the water customer’s water service may be reconnected.

(Ord. 926; Ord. 938; Ord. 942; Code 2022)

The water department may, in its discretion, refuse to take payment from a water customer by check if said customer has given a worthless check to the water department on two or more previous occasions. If a check received from a water customer is returned unpaid for any reason, a fee of Thirty and No/100 Dollars ($30.00) shall be assessed to the water customer for said check, unless said fee is waived by the City Council.

(Ord. 926; Ord. 938; Ord. 942; Code 2022)

In the event any person shall neglect, fail or refuse to pay within ten (10) days following Disconnection of Water Service, as provided for in 15-208, the water bill and delinquency charges due the city, such billings and charges shall constitute a lien upon the real property served by the connection to water service, and shall be certified by the City Clerk to the County Clerk of Chase County, Kansas, to be placed on the tax roll for collection, subject to the same penalties and collected in like manner as other taxes are by law collectible.

(Ord. 828; Ord. 874; Code 2022)

Owners and occupants of leased premises served by the City water service are jointly liable for payment of the cost of water furnished by the City to such premises and for any delinquency charges, whether such water service is furnished upon the application and request of the owner or the lessee of the premises. The owner of any leased premises, or the owner’s agent if leasing is through an agent, shall be notified of the delinquency of the occupant of the leased premises in the same manner as notice is provided to customers pursuant to 15-207 and at the same time of notice to the lessee-customer.

(Ord. 828; Ord. 874; Code 2022)

At the time of billing for water service, the City of Cottonwood Falls, Kansas shall collect the Water Protection Fee imposed by the Kansas Legislature at the rate of three cents per 1,000 gallons of water sold at retail through the mains, lines and pipes of the City Water Department.

(K.S.A. 82a-954; Ord. 793; Code 2022)

The City shall pay quarterly the Water Protection Fee collected to the Kansas Department of Revenue not later than 45 days following the end of the quarter.

(K.S.A. 82a-954; Ord. 793; Code 2022)