Article 7
Sec7.07.005
Billing Procedures
A. The billing procedures for residential and non-resident accounts are as follows:
1. In April of each year the Water Pollution Control Director shall obtain billing
consumption data on all Independence residential customers winter period meter reg(lings
and each customer's reading for the twelve months preceding the winter period reading.
These readings shall be used to compute residential sanitary sewer service charges
as provided for in Section 7.07.003.
2. For billing purposes, winter period water consumption shall mean the customer's
average monthly winter water consumption using meter readings ending exclusively
in December January, February or March. For the same purposes the previous twelve
month average shall mean the customer's average monthly metered water consumption
for the twelve month period preceding the winter period. Where water consumption
is determined on a bimonthly basis, consumption for the two bimonthly winter periods
ending in either December, January, February, or March will be utilized for determining
an average winter monthly consumption. For these purposes a month will be 30.4375
days and a quarter will be 91.3125 days. Where the consumption period exceeds 150
days the consumption will be considered as estimated for purposes of determining
the volume charge.
3. The Water Pollution Control Director, using the previous information shall compute
the city-wide average for the purpose of billing residential and nonresident customer
accounts without a full winter period water reading or consumption history. The
city-wide average shall mean: The total of the monthly average winter cycle water
consumption for residential accounts as determined in paragraph "2" above; (excluding
accounts with consumption equal to zero, accounts equal to or greater than one hundred
units of 100 cubic feet, and accounts that have been estimated) divided by that
number of accounts.
4. The monthly water consumption factor for determining volume charges shall be
as follows:
a. Winter period consumption (actual or estimated) and previous 12-month average
are available. Compare winter consumption with yearly average:
(1) winter period is lower--use winter period
(2) yearly average is lower--use yearly average.
b. Winter period consumption (actual or estimated) available, previous 12-month
average not available. Use winter period.
c. Winter period consumption is zero, with previous 12-month available:
(1) previous 12 months less than city wide average--use previous 12 months
(2) city wide average less than previous 12 months--use city wide average.
5. If the winter period water meter reading is estimated such accounts are eligible
for possible adjustment once the next cycle's reading is available. The adjustment:
shall be based on actual consumption using the beginning winter cycle reading and
the next cycle's ending reading divided by total consumption days multiplied by
30.4375.
Any adjustment request shall be accepted for up to five months after a billing change.
Such request shall be made in writing to the Water Pollution Control Department
with proof of the actual water consumption which appears on the customer's bill.
6. Non-resident customers' water billing information shall be gathered on a timely
basis to determine customer activity. In the same manner, the Water Pollution Control
Department shall gather winter period and previous twelve month average water consumption
figures for the purpose of billing customers as provided in Section 7.07.003.
7. Once the calculations in the above paragraphs (1-6) have been made, the Water
Pollution Control Department shall review customer billing information for accuracy
and make any necessary changes. The residential and nonresident sewer billing file
will be ready for the first utility billing cycle in July, unless a schedule is
otherwise provided by the City Council.
8. In the case of revert-to-owner status, whereby the owner of a residential rental
property is charged for utility services while the property is unoccupied, the owner's
sanitary sewer service charge shall be based on the actual monthly water consumption.
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