§ 34-276. Billing and enforcement.

(a)

Charges for water shall be billed monthly. Monthly bills shall usually be mailed within 25 days after the water meter is read. Monthly water bills shall be due and payable as follows:

(1)

Bills dated on or before the fourth day of the month shall be due on or before the 20th day of the month;

(2)

Bills dated after the fourth day of the month, but on or before the 12th day of the month, shall be due on or before the first day of the next month; and

(3)

Bills dated after the 12th day of the month shall be due on or before the tenth day of the next month.

If a bill payment deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday or other day when the township office is not open for business, the deadline shall be extended to the next day on which the township office is open for business. If a bill is not paid within 60 days from the due date of the initial billing, then a water shut off notice shall be mailed. If the bill is not paid prior to the deadline specified in the shut off notice, the customer's water service shall be shut off immediately, without further notice. A delinquent water bill service fee, as provided in a township board resolution adopted from time to time, shall be charged to the customer if the bill is not paid prior to the deadline specified in the shut off notice.

The fees provided in a township board resolution adopted from time to time shall be paid in cash when the service is requested except that the delinquent water bill service fee shall be paid before water service will again be provided or continued for the premises and shall accrue and be payable as set forth in the termination notice.

(b)

Charges for water, and all penalties, shall constitute a lien on the property served. On or before September 1 of each year, the township superintendent shall deliver to the township supervisor a certified statement of all water charges and penalty charges thereon then three months or more past due and unpaid. The township supervisor shall then place such charges on the next general tax roll and such charges shall be collected and such lien shall be enforced in the same manner as is provided for general township taxes.

(c)

Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, where the township has contracted with another unit of government (the retail operator) to operate all or part of the system on a retail basis, the procedures for billing and collection shall be established for the portion operated under contract between the township and such other unit of government as is provided in that contract. In the circumstances where the township has been required to reimburse the retail operator for water charges or penalties thereon, the township board may add to such water charges additional penalties. All amounts paid by the township to the retail operator on account of the water customer's delinquent water bill plus all penalties thereon shall constitute a lien on the property served. On or before September 1 of each year, the township superintendent shall deliver to the township supervisor a certified statement of all amounts paid by the township to the retail on account of delinquent water customers bills plus all penalties thereon where the bills are three months or more past due and unpaid from the initial customer billing by the retail operator. The township supervisor shall then place such charges on the next general tax bill and such charges shall be collected and such lien enforced in the same manner as is provided for general township taxes.

(Ord. No. 498, § 1, 9-7-2006; Ord. No. 516, § 1, 9-3-2009; Ord. No. 585, § 1, 6-21-2018)