Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the meaning of words and terms as used in this article shall be as follows:

(a)   Administrator shall mean the city administrator of the city or the authorized deputy, agent or representative thereof.

(b)   B.O.D. (denoting Biochemical Oxygen Demand) shall mean the quantity of oxygen utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory procedure in five days at 20 degrees centigrade, expressed in milligrams per liter (mg/L).

(c)   Building Drain shall mean that part of the lowest horizontal piping of a drainage system which receives the discharge from soil, waste, and other drainage pipes inside the walls of the building and conveys it to the building sewer, beginning five feet (1.5 meters) outside the interface of the building wall.

(d)   Building Sewer shall mean the extension from the building drain to the public sewer or other place of disposal.

(e)   Combined Sewer shall mean a sewer receiving both surface runoff and sewage.

(f) Garbage shall mean solid wastes from the domestic and commercial preparation, cooking and dispensing of food, and from the handling, storage and sale of produce.

(g)   Industrial Wastes shall mean the liquid wastes from industrial manufacturing processes, trade or business as distinct from sanitary sewage.

(h)   Natural Outlet shall mean any outlet into a watercourse, pond, ditch, lake or other body of surface or groundwater.

(i)    Normal Domestic Wastewater shall mean wastewater that has a BOD concentration of not more than 200 mg and a suspended solids concentration of not more than 200 mg.

(j)    Operation and Maintenance shall mean all expenditures during the use life of the treatment works for materials, labor, utilities and other items which are necessary for managing and maintaining the sewage works to achieve the capacity and performance for which such works were designed and constructed.

(k)   Person shall mean any individual, firm, company, association, society, corporation or group.

(l)    pH shall mean the logarithm of the reciprocal of the weight of hydrogen ions in grams per liter of solution.

(m)  Properly Shredded Garbage shall mean the wastes from the preparation, cooling and dispensing of food that has been shredded to such a degree that all particles will be carried freely udder the flow conditions normally prevailing in public sewers, with no particle greater than % inch (1.25 centimeters) in any dimension.

(n)   Public Sewer shall mean a sewer in which all owners of abutting properties have equal rights and which is controlled by public authority.

(o)   Replacement shall mean expenditures for obtaining and installing equipment, accessories or appurtenances which are necessary during the useful life of the treatment works to maintain the capacity and performance for which such works were designed and constructed. The term operation and maintenance includes replacement.

(p)   Sanitary Sewer shall mean a sewer in which all owners of abutting properties have equal rights, and which is controlled by public authority.

(q)   Sanitary Sewer shall mean a sewer which carries sewage and to which storm, surface and groundwaters are not intentionally admitted.

(r)    Sewage shall mean contamination of the water carried wastes from residence, business buildings, institutions and industrial establishments, together with such ground, surface and stormwaters as may be present.

(s)   Sewage Treatment Plant shall mean any arrangement of devices and structures used for treating sewage.

(t)    Sewage Works shall mean all facilities for collection, pumping, treating and disposing of sewage.

(u)   Sewer shall mean a pipe or conduit for carrying sewage.

(v)   Shall is mandatory; May is permissive.

(w)  Slug shall mean any discharge of water, sewage or industrial waste which in concentration of any given constituent or in quantity of flow exceeds for any period of duration longer than 15 minutes more than five times the average 24 hour concentration or flow during normal operation

(x)   Storm Drain (sometimes termed storm sewer) shall mean a sewer which earners storm and surface wastes and drainage, but excludes sewage and industrial wastes, other than unpolluted cooling water.

(y)   Suspended Solids or SS shall mean solids that either float on the surface or rare in suspension in water, sewage or other liquids and which are removable by laboratory filtering.

(z)   Treatment Works shall mean any devices and system for the storage, treatment, recycling and reclamation of municipal sewage, domestic sewage or liquid industrial wastes. These include intercepting sewers, outfall sewers, sewage collection system, individual systems, pumping, power and other equipment and their appurtenances; extensions, improvement, remodeling, additions and alterations thereof; elements essential to provide a reliable recycled supply such as standby treatment units and clear well facilities; and any works including site acquisition of the land that will be an integral part of the treatment process of or used for ultimate disposal of residues resulting from such treatment (including land for composting sludge, temporary storage of such compost, and land used for the storage of treated wastewater in land treatment systems before land application); or any other method or system for preventing, abating, reducing, storing, treating, separating, or disposing of municipal waste or industrial waste, including waste in combined storm water and sanitary sewer systems.

(aa) Useful Life shall mean the estimated period during which a treatment works will be operated.

(bb) User Charge shall mean that portion of the total wastewater service charge which is levied in a proportional and adequate manner for the cost of operation, maintenance and replacement of the wastewater treatment works.

(cc) Waste Meter shall mean a water volume measuring and recording device, furnished and/or installed by the city or furnished and/or installed by a user and approved by the city.

(dd) Watercourse shall mean a channel in which a flow of water occurs, either continuously or intermittently.

(Ord. 9303, Art. II, Secs. 1:11)

It shall be unlawful for any person to place, deposit or permit to be deposited in any unsanitary manner on public or private property within in the city or in any area under the jurisdiction of the city, any human or animal excrement, garbage or other objectionable waste.

(Ord. 9302, Art. II, Sec. 1)

It shall be unlawful to discharge to any natural outlet within the city in any area under the jurisdiction of the city, any sewage or other polluted wastes, except where suitable treatment has been provided in accordance with subsequent provisions of this article.

(Ord. 9302, Art. II, Sec. 2)

Except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.

(Ord. 9302, Art. II, Sec. 3)

The owner of all houses, building or properties used for human employment, recreation or other purposes situated within the city and abutting on any street, alley or right-of-way in which there is now located or may in the future be located a public sanitary sewer of the city, is hereby required at their expense to install suitable toilet facilities therein and to connect such facilities directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this article within 90 days after the date of official notice to do so, provided that the public sewer is within 100 feet (30.5 meters) of the property line.

(Ord. 9302, Art. II, Sec. 4)

Where a public sanitary sewer is not available under the provision of 15-405, the building sewer shall be connected to a private sewage disposal system complying with the provisions of this article.

(Ord. 9302, Art. Ill, Sec. 1)

Before commencement of construction of a private sewage disposal system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the city clerk. The application for such permit shall be made on a form furnished by the city, which the applicant shall supplement by any plans, specifications and other information as are deemed necessary by the administrator. A permit and inspection fee of $5 shall be paid to the city at the time the application is filed.

(Ord. 9302, Art. Ill, Sec. 2)

A permit for a private sewage disposal system shall not become effective until the installation is completed to the satisfaction of the administrator. The administrator shall be allowed to inspect the work at any stage of construction and in any event, the applicant for the permit shall notify the administrator when the work is ready for final inspection and before any underground portions are covered. The inspection shall be made within 24 hours of the receipt of notice by the administrator.

(Ord. 9302, Art. Ill, Sec. 3)

The type, capacities, location and layout of a private sewage disposal system shall comply with all recommendations and requirements of the Department of Health and Environment of the State of Kansas. No permit shall be issued for any private sewage disposal system employing subsurface soil absorption facilities where the area of the lot is less than 20,000 square feet (1.860 square meters). No septic tank or cesspool shall be permitted to discharge to any natural outlet.

(Ord. 9302, Art. Ill, Sec. 4)

At such time as a public sewer becomes available to a property served by a private sewage disposal as provided in section 15-409, a direct connection shall be made to the public sewer in compliance with this article and any septic tanks, cesspools and similar private sewage disposal facilities shall be abandoned and filled with suitable material.

(Ord. 9302, Art. Ill, Sec. 5)

The owner shall operate and maintain the private sewage disposal facilities in a sanitary manner at all times, at no expense to the city.

(Ord. 9302, Art. Ill, Sec. 6)

No statement contained within in this article shall be construed to interfere with any additional requirements that may be imposed by the Barton County Health Officer.

(Ord. 9302, Art. Ill, Sec. 7)

When a public sewer becomes available, the building sewer shall be connected to the sewer within 120 days and the private sewage disposal system shall be cleaned of sludge and filled with pit-run sand and gravel or dirt.

(Ord. 9302, Art. Ill, Sec. 8)

No unauthorized person shall uncover, make any connections with or openings into, use, alter or disturb any public sewer or appurtenance thereof without first obtaining a written permit from the city clerk.

(Ord. 9302, Art. IV, Sec. 1)

There shall be two classes of building sewer permits (a) for residential and commercial service, and (b) for service to establishments producing industrial wastes. In either case, the owner or their agent shall make application on a special form furnished by the city. The permit application shall be supplemented by any plans, specifications, or other information considered pertinent in the judgment of the administrator. A permit and inspection fee of $50 for a residential or commercial building sewer permit and $100 for an industrial building permit, other than normal commercial waste, shall be paid to the city at the time the application is filed.

(Ord. 9302, Art. IV, Sec. 2)

All costs and expense incident to the installation and connection of the building shall be borne by the owners. The owners shall indemnify the city from any loss or damage that may directly or indirectly be occasioned by the installation of the building sewer.

(Ord. 9302, Art. IV, Sec. 3)

A separate and independent building sewer shall be provided for every building, except where one building stands at the rear of another on an interior lot and no private sewer is available or can be constructed to the rear building through an adjoining alley, court yard, or driveway. The building sewer from the front building may be extended to the rear building and the whole considered as one building sewer.

(Ord. 9302, Art. IV, Sec. 4)

Old building sewers may be used in connection with new building only when they are found, on examination and test by the administrator to meet all requirements of this article.

(Ord. 9302, Art. IV, Sec. 5)

The size, slope, alignment and materials of construction of a building sewer, and the methods to be used in excavating, placing of the pipe, jointing, testing and backfilling the trench shall all conform to the requirements of the building and plumbing code or other applicable rules and regulations of the city. In the absence of code provision or in amplification thereof, the materials and procedures set forth in appropriate specifications of the ASTM and WEF Manual of Practice No. 9 shall apply.

(Ord. 9302, Art. IV, Sec. 6)

Whenever possible, the building sewer shall be brought to the building at an elevation below the basement floor. In all buildings in which any building drain is too low to permit gravity flow to the public sewer, sanitary sewage carried by such building drain shall be lifted by an approved means and discharged to the building sewer.

(Ord. 9302, Art. IV, Sec. 7)

No person shall make connection of roof downspouts, interior and exterior foundation drains, areaway drains or other sources of surface runoff or groundwater to a building sewer or building drain which in tum is connected directly or indirectly to a public sanitary sewer.

(Ord. 9302, Art. IV, Sec. 8)

The connection of the building sewer into the public sewer shall conform to the requirements of the building and plumbing code or other applicable rules and regulations of the city or the procedures set forth in appropriate specifications of the ASTM and the WEF Manual of Practice No. 9. All such connections shall be made gastight and watertight. Any deviation from the prescribed procedures and materials must be approved by the administrator before installation.

(Ord. 9302, Art. IV, Sec. 9)

The applicant for the building sewer permit shall notify the administrator when the building sewer is ready for inspection and connection to the public sewer. The connection shall be made under the supervision of the administrator or an authorized representative thereof.

(Ord. 9302, Art. IV, Sec. 10)

All excavations for the building sewer installation shall be adequately guarded with barricades and lights so as to protect the public from hazard. Streets, sidewalks, parkways, and other public property disturbed in the course of the work shall be restored in a manner satisfactory to the city.

(Ord. 9302, Art. IV, Sec. 11)

No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any stormwater, surface water, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage including interior and exterior foundation drains, uncontaminated cooling water or unpolluted industrial process waters to any sanitary sewer.

(Ord. 9302, Art. V, Sec. 1)

Stormwater and ail other unpolluted drainage shall be discharged to such sewers as are specifically designated as storm sewers, or to a natural outlet approved by the administrator. Industrial cooling water or unpolluted process waters may be discharged, on approval of the administrator, to a storm sewer or natural outlet.

(Ord. 9302, Art. V, Sec. 2)

No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any of the following described waters or wastes to any public sewers:

(a)   Any gasoline, benzene, naphtha, fuel, oil or other flammable or explosive liquids, solid or gas.

(b)   Any waters or wastes containing toxic or poisonous solids, liquids or gases in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction with other wastes to injure or interfere with any sewage treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals, create a public nuisance or create any hazard in the receiving waters of the sewage treatment plant, including, but not limited to cyanide in excess of 2 mg/L as CN in the wastes as discharged to the public sewer.

(c)   Any waters or wastes having a pH lower than 5.5 or having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures equipment or personnel of the sewage works.

(d)   Solid or viscous substances in quantities or of such size capable of causing obstruction to the flow in sewers or other interference with the proper operation of the sewage works such as, but not limited to ashes, cinder, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plastics, wood, unground garbage, whole blood, paunch manure, hair and fleshing, entrails and paper dishes, cups, mild containers, etc., either whole or ground by garbage grinders.

(Ord. 9302, Art. V, Sec. 3)

No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged the following described substances, materials, waters, or wastes if it appears likely in the opinion of the administrator that such wastes can harm either the sewers, sewage treatment process, or equipment, have an adverse effect on the receiving stream, or can otherwise endanger life, limb, public property, or constitute a nuisance. In forming his or her opinion as to the acceptability of these wastes, the administrator will give consideration to such factors as the quantities of subject wastes in relation to flows and velocities in the sewers, materials of construction of the plant, degree of treatability of wastes in the sewage treatment plan, and other pertinent factors. The substances prohibited are:

(a)   Any liquid or vapor having a temperature higher than 150 °F (65°C).

(b)   Any water or waste containing fats, wax, grease, or oils whether emulsified or not, in excess of 100 mg/l or containing substances which may solidify or become viscous at temperatures between 32 and 150 °F (0 and 65° C).

(c)   Any garbage that has not been properly shredded. The installation and operation of any garbage grinder equipped with a motor of 314 horsepower (.056 kW) or greater shall be subject to the review and approval of the administrator.

(d)   Any waters or wastes containing strong acid pickling wastes, or concentrated plating solutions whether neutralized or not.

(e)   Any waters or wastes containing iron, chromium, copper, zinc, and similar objectionable or toxic substances, or wastes exerting an excessive chlorine requirement, to such degree that any such material received in the composite sewage at the sewage treatment works exceeds the limits established by the administrator for such materials.

(f)   Any waters or wastes containing phenols or other taste- or odor-producing substances, in such concentrations exceeding limits which may be established by the administrator as necessary, after treatment of the composite sewage to meet the requirements of the state, federal or other public agencies of jurisdiction for such discharge to the receiving waters.

(g)   Any radioactive wastes or isotopes of such half-life or concentration as may exceed limits established by the administrator in compliance with applicable state or federal regulations.

(h)   Any waters or wastes having a pH in excess of 9.5 or less than 5.5.

(i)    Materials which exert or cause:

(1)   Unusual concentrations of inert suspended solids (such as, but not limited to, Fullers earth, lime slurries, and lime residues) or of dissolved solids (such as, but not limited to, sodium chloride and sodium sulfate).

(2)   Excessive discoloration (such as, but not limited to, dye wastes and vegetable tanning solutions).

(3)   Unusual BOD, chemical oxygen demand, or chlorine requirements in such quantities as to constitute a significant load on the wastewater treatment works.

(4)   Unusual volume of flow or concentration of wastes constituting “slugs” as defined herein.

(j)    Waters or wastes containing substances which are not amenable to treatment or reduction by the sewage treatment processes employed, or are amenable to treatment only to such degree that the sewage treatment plant effluent cannot meet the requirements of other agencies having jurisdiction over discharge to the receiving waters.

(k)   Any waters or wastes having

(1)   a five-day BOD greater than 300 mg/L, or

(2)   containing more than 350 mg/L of suspended solids, or (3) having an average daily flow greater than two percent of the average sewage flow of the city, shall be subject to the review of the administrator. Where necessary, in the opinion of the administrator, the owner shall provide, at the owner’s expense, such preliminary treatment as may be necessary to (1) reduce the BOD to 300 mg/L, or (2) reduce the suspended solids to 350 mg/l, or

(3) control the quantities and rates of discharge of such waters or wastes. Plans, specifications, and any other pertinent information relating to proposed preliminary treatment facilities shall be submitted for the approval of the administrator and no construction of such facilities shall be commenced until the approvals are obtained in writing.

(Ord. 9302, Art. V, Sec. 4)

If any waters or wastes are discharged, or are proposed to be discharged to the public sewers, which waters contain the substances or possess the characteristics enumerated in section 15-428 of this article, and which in the judgment of the administrator may have a deleterious effect upon the sewage works, processes, equipment, or receiving waters, or would otherwise create a hazard to life or constitute a public nuisance, the administrator may:

(a)   Reject the wastes,

(b)   Require pretreatment to an acceptable condition for discharge to the public sewers,

(c)   Require control over the quantities and rates of discharge, and/or,

(d)   Require payment to cover the added cost of handling and treating the wastes not covered by existing taxes or user charges under the provisions of section 15-434 of this article. If the administrator permits the pretreatment or equalization of waste flows, the design and installation of the plants and equipment shall be subject to the review and approval of the administrator, and subject to the requirements of all applicable codes, ordinances, and laws.

(Ord. 9302, Art. V, Sec. 5)

Grease, oil, and sand interceptors shall be provided when, in the opinion of the administrator, they are necessary for the proper handling of liquid wastes containing grease in excessive amounts, or any flammable wastes, sand, or other harmful ingredients; except that such interceptors shall not be required for private living quarters or dwelling units. All interceptors shall be of a type and capacity approved by the superintendent and shall be located as to be readily and easily accessible for cleaning and inspection.

(Ord. 9302, Art. V, Sec. 6)

Where preliminary treatment or flow-equalizing facilities are required or permitted for any waters or wastes, they shall be furnished, installed and maintained continuously in satisfactory and effective operation by the owner at no expense to the city.

(Ord. 9302, Art: V, Sec. 7)

When required by the administrator, the owner of any property serviced by a building sewer carrying industrial wastes shall install a suitable control manhole together with such necessary meters and other appurtenances in the building sewer, to facilitate observation, sampling, and measurement of the wastes. Such manhole, when required, shall be accessibly and safely located, and shall be constructed in accordance with plans approved by the administrator. The manhole and necessary appurtenances shall be furnished, installed and maintained so as to be safe and accessible at all times by the owner at no expense to the city.

(Ord. 9302, Art. V, Sec. 8)

All measurements, tests and analyses of the characteristics of waters and wastes to which reference is made in this article shall be determined in accordance with the latest edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. published by the American Public Health Association, and shall be determined at the control manhole provided, or upon suitable samples taken at the control manhole. In the event that no special manhole has been required, the control manhole shall be considered to be the nearest downstream manhole in the public sewer to the point at which the building sewer is connected. Sampling shall be carried out by customarily accepted methods to reflect the effect of the constituents upon the sewage works and to determine the existence of hazards to life, limb, and property. (The particular analyses involved will determine whether a 24-hour composite of all building sewers of a premises is appropriate or whether a grab sample or samples should be taken. Normally, but not always, BOD and suspended solids analyses are obtained from 24-hour composites of all building sewers whereas pH’s and heavy metals are determined from periodic grab samples.)

(Ord. 9302, Art. V, Sec. 9)

No statement contained in this article shall be construed as preventing any special agreement or arrangement between the city and any industrial concern whereby an industrial waste of unusual strength or character may be accepted by the city for treatment, subject to payment therefore, by the industrial concern.

(Ord. 9302, Art. V, Sec. 10)

The administrator and/or governing body of the city shall be entitled to establish such additional regulations and requirements as they deem appropriate for each use of the city’s sewage works.

(Ord. 9302, Art. V, Sec. 11)

No unauthorized person shall maliciously, willfully, or negligently, break, damage, destroy, uncover, deface, or tamper with any structure, appurtenance, or equipment which is part of the sewage works. Any person violating this provision shall be subject to immediate arrest under the charge of disorderly conduct.

(Ord. 9302, Art. VI, Sec. 1)

The administrator and other duly authorized employees of the city bearing proper credentials and identification shall be permitted to enter all properties for the purposes of inspection, observation, measurement, sampling, and testing in accordance with the provisions of this article. The administrator or authorized representatives thereof shall have no authority to inquire into any processes including metallurgical, chemical, oil, refining, ceramic, paper, or other industries beyond that point having a direct bearing on the kind and source of discharge to the sewers or waterways or facilities for waste treatment.

(Ord. 9302, Art. VII, Sec. 1)

While performing the necessary work on private properties referred to in the preceding section, the administrator or duly authorized employees of the city shall observe all safety rules applicable to the premises established by the company and the company shall be held harmless for injury or death to the city employees and the city shall indemnify the company against loss or damage to its property by city employees and against liability claims and demands for personal injury or property damage asserted against the company and growing out of the gauging and sampling operation, except as such may be caused by negligence or failure of the company to maintain safe conditions as required in section 15-432.

(Ord. 9302, Art. VII, Sec. 2)

The administrator and other duly authorized employees of the city bearing proper credentials and identification shall be permitted to enter all private properties through which the city holds a duly negotiated easement for the purposes of, but not limited to, inspection, observation, measurement, sampling, repair and maintenance of any portion of the sewage works within the easement. All entry and subsequent work, if any, on the easement shall be done in full accordance with the terms of the duly negotiated easement pertaining to the private property involved.

(Ord. 9302, Art. VII, Sec. 3)

Any person found to be violating any provisions of this article, except section 15-436, shall be served by the city with written notice stating the nature of the violation and providing a reasonable time limit for the satisfactory correction thereof. The offender shall, within the period of time stated in such notice, permanently cease all violations.

(Ord. 9302, Art. VIII, Sec. 1)

Any person who shall continue any violation beyond the time limit provided for in the preceding section, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof shall be fined in an amount not exceeding $500 for each violation. Each 24-hour period in which any such violation shall continue shall be deemed a separate offense.

(Ord. 9302, Art. VIII, Sec. 2)

Any person violating any of the provisions of this article shall be liable to the city for any expense, loss, or damage occasioned by the city by reason of such violation.

(Ord. 9302, Art. VII, Sec. 3)

Each user shall pay for the services provided by the city based on his or her use of the treatment works as determined by water meters acceptable to the city.

(Ord. 9303, Art. IV, Sec. 1)

For residential contributors, monthly user charges will be based on average monthly water usage during the months of December, January and February. If a residential contributor has not established a December, January and February average, his or her monthly user charge shall be the median charge of all other residential contributors.

For industrial and commercial contributions, user charges shall be based on water used during the current month. If a commercial or industrial contributor has a consumptive use of water, or in some other manner uses water which is not returned to the wastewater collection system, the user charge for that contributor may be based on a wastewater meter or separate water meter installed and maintained at the contributors’ expense, and in a manner acceptable to the city.

For residential, industrial and commercial contributors who are located outside the city limits, the user charge shall be 1.5 times the respective charge they would pay if they were located inside the city limits.

(Ord. 9303, Art. IV, Sec. 2)

The minimum charge per month shall be $3.75. In addition, each contributor shall pay a user charge rate for operation and maintenance (including replacement) and debt retirement of $2.80 per 1,000 gallons of water as determined in the preceding section.

(Ord. 9303, Art. IV, Sec. 3; Ord. 9408; Ord. 9709; Ord. 9908; Code 2022)

Any user which discharges any toxic pollutants which cause an increase in the cost of managing the effluent or the sludge from the city’s treatment works or any user which discharges any substance which singly or by interaction with another substance causes identifiable increase in the cost of operation, maintenance or replacement of the treatment works, shall pay for such increased costs. The charge to each such user shall be as determined by the responsible plant operation personnel and approved by the city council.

(Ord. 9303, Art. IV, Sec. 4)

The user charge rates established apply to all users of the city’s treatment works.

(Ord. 9303, Art. IV, Sec. 5)

All users shall be billed monthly. Billings for any particular month shall be made within 30 days after the end of that month. Payments are due when the billings are made. The bill shall be payable on or before the 16th day of the month following the billing date. Any bill not paid on or before the 16th day shall be subject to a late payment charge of 6% of the net amount due. Any person who fails to pay the bill in full before the time specified in a notice mailed to such customer after the 16th day giving notice that service will be discontinued if the bill is not paid by the time specified therein, then the service shall be discontinued for nonpayment of the bill due.

(Ord. 9303, Art. V, Sec. 1)

When a customer pays any bill due for service that was discontinued for nonpayment, one of the following charges shall be added to the bill due with the cost turning on or reconnecting the service, to-wit:

(a)   If service was discontinued at the meter location, the turn-on fee shall be $20 if service is turned on during normal business hours, or $30 when service is turned on after normal business hours; or

(b)   If it was necessary to discontinue service by removing the meter, the reconnection fee shall be $40.

(Ord. 9303, Art. V, Sec. 2)

The city clerk will have no authority to remit or diminish the monthly service charge for any user, except for the following:

(a)   To make corrections as necessary for errors in metering, billing or when receiving payments; and

(b)   If leaks occur in the buried portion of the water line between the meter and the building occupied for any user affected by paragraph (a) of this section during the three-month period beginning with the like reading date in March following and after such leaks are verified by the water superintendent, the city clerk may adjust such user’s monthly average of gallons of water consumed when determining the monthly service charge.

(Ord. 9303, Art. V, Sec. 3)

In the event any persons liable for the payment of such charges fail or refuse to pay the same, such charges shall constitute a lien upon the real estate served by the connection to the sewer and shall be certified by the city clerk to the county clerk of Barton County to be placed on the tax roll for collection subject to the same penalties and collected in the same manners other taxes are by law collectable and in addition thereto, the city clerk shall be authorized to refuse the delivery of water through the pipes and mains to the delinquent person or premises until such time as all charges are fully paid.

(Ord. 9303, Art. V, Sec. 4)