CITY OF RED BLUFF
AP&P 18-11b- Shutoff Policy for Delinquency Water and Sewer Service Subject: Number:
18-116
SHUTOFF POLICY FOR DELINQUENCY WATER
AND SEWER SERVICE Effective Date:
November 6, 2019
Departments Affected: Supercedes (Number/Date):
All 18-11/02-04-04
Authority: File References:
Section 2.14-1. Red Bluff City Code
Approved by City Council on November 5, 2019
1. PURPOSE
To establish procedures and polices regarding shutoff policy for delinquent water and sewer accounts.
II. POLICY
To assist with the collection of delinquent water and sewer accounts, the Finance Department coordinates with Public Works shutoff personnel to review and shutoff all accounts that have delinquent water and sewer bills at least 60 days past due.
If at any time a meter shall be out of order and incorrectly registering the amount of water used, the consumer shall be charged with an average monthly consumption as shown by the meter before it ceased to correctly register the amount of water.
The water meters shall be read on a monthly basis. Bills for monthly service shall be mailed as soon thereafter as possible.
Bills for water shall be payable at the Office of the Water Department in the City Hall. Water bills shall be paid within 20 days of mailing of the bill for services. All termination of residential services for nonpayment of delinquent water accounts and all notices of delinquencies shall be mailed to the customer at least 15 days prior to the day of intended disconnection of service. All termination of water services shall require the following: all notices of delinquencies shall be mailed to the customer at least 15 days and 48 hours prior to the day of intended disconnection of service. In addition, prior to actual disconnection of services, the customer shall be given 48 hours actual notice by personal contact or 48 hours written notice posted in a conspicuous place on the property being served. In no case shall services be 12/12/19 1 AP&P 18-116
CITY OF RED BLUFF
Shutoff Policy for Delinquency Water and Sewer Service
disconnected at any time during which the business offices of the city are not open to the public. Following disconnection of water services, in addition to the amount due, a charge in an amount which shall be established by resolution shall be levied for opening and closing the street valve; and upon reopening, a deposit shall be required unless one is already posted. The water shall not be turned on until all fees owing the City have been paid in full or until arrangements (see attachment A) agreeable to the City for the full payment of the fees have been entered into. Water Department personnel will turn on water services for delinquent consumers up until 4:45 p.m. on the City business day that payment is made in accordance with the required charges noted in this section.
Requirements set forth in the California Administration Code 17, Chapter 5, Subchapter 1, Group 4, Articles 1, 2 and 3, commencing with 7583, as amended from time to time, shall be the requirements of the City for the installation of and the use of backflow devices for the public water system.
No rebates will be made for vacancies during the summer months.
Consumers ordering water discontinued and turned on again at the same place within six months, shall be charged the sum as established by City Council resolution for the service. There will be no charge for transferring a consumer from on house to another, but he or she must make application as set forth in 24.4 to 24.6.
Water charges shall be billed upon the same bill as sewer charges and the two amounts shall be collected as the same item.
Shut-offs for bills delinquent for at least 60 days will occur each month on the Wednesday after the 15" due date, or as reasonably possible thereafter.
You may request amortization of unpaid charges by making arrangements with the City for payments, at the City's option over a period not to exceed twelve months. If the City agrees to accept monthly payments for the past due water accounts, each monthly payment shall be due and payable on or before the due date of your most recent water billing. This payment shall be in addition to your regular monthly water account payment. All amounts received will first be credited to the amounts due on the most recent water bill and then to past due amounts. Your failure to pay the City, when due, any payments agreed to be paid for past due water accounts shall give the City cause to terminate your water services upon notice of no sooner than 5 business days.
12/12/19 2 AP&P 18-11b
CITY OF RED BLUFF
Shutoff Policy for Delinquency Water and Sewer Service
If you have a complaint about or wish an investigation of the water service provided or for the charges for the service, you must put the complaint about the charges or the reasons for the requested investigation in writing together with your address and phone number and mail it or deliver it in person to the City of Red Bluff, Attention City Attorney. Upon receipt of the complaint the City Attorney will schedule a date and time in which to hear your complaint and make a decision thereon. The water will not be turned off during the time between filing of the complaint and the written decision from the City Attorney following the hearing on the complaint.
There are various private organizations which you may contact, such as the Red Bluff Ministerial Association, Salvation Army or the Tehama County Department of Social Services who may be able to assist you in the payment of your water bill or who may recommend an organization which may assist.
The persons to contact at the city of Red Bluff who may provide additional assistance or who may institute arrangements for payments of past due amounts are the Utility Accounts Clerk or the City Attorney. The phone number is (530) 527-2605. The mailing address is City of Red Bluff, 555 Washington Street, Red Bluff, CA 96080.
Attachment A
12/12/19 3 AP&P 18-11b
CITY OF RED BLUFF
Shutoff Policy for Delinquency Water and Sewer Service
AGREEMENT FOR PAYMENT ON PAST DUE UTILITY BILL
The City of Red Bluff
PAYMENTS ARE DUE BY THE 15TH OF EACH MONTH
DATE:_
ACCOUNT NO:_
NAME:
SERVICE ADDRESS:_ -
PHONE NO:_
TOTAL BALANCE PAST DUE:_
CURRENT MIN BILLING $. _AMOUNT DUE$_
MONTHLY PAYMENTS.
THIS AGREEMENT SHALL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL PAST DUE BALANCE IS PAID IN FULL.
NOTES:
YOU ARE ONLY ALLOWED ONE AGREEMENT IN A 12-MONTH PERIOD.
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT IF SCHEDULED PAYMENTS ARE NOT MET, YOUR WATER WILL BE SHUT OFF.
If payment is not made on scheduled date, contract will be void and hayment in full will be required.
Employee's Signature Customer's Signature
12/12/19 4 AP&P 18-11b