Water Works and Sewer Board of Guntersville, Inc
Phone: (256) 582-5931
Fax: (256) 582-6923
TYPES OF SERVICE
The rate schedule set forth contemplates a single
user, such as one family dwelling, one farm dwelling with
appurtenances, or one commercial operation, and will not
be changed without prior written consent of the Board of
Directors of the Water Works and Sewer Board of the City
of Guntersville. Extraordinary circumstances, such as subdivision
extensions, multiple dwelling units, industrial users shall
be governed by special contract agreements made by the
Board of Directors.
RATE SCHEDULE
see rate schedule
APPLICATION FOR SERVICE
The consumer will make application for service in person
at the office of the Water Works and the Sewer Board
of
the City of Guntersville and at the same time make
the necessary deposits required.
Meter Deposits: See rate schedule.
CHARGES FOR USERS AGREEING TO USE SERVICE
Each consumer subscribing to use the service of the
Corporation shall pay a connection fee times the number
of connections desired. See rate schedule.
Thereafter, each consumer subscribing to use the service
of the Corporation shall pay a connection fee times
the number of connections desired or the actual cost
of installations, whichever is greater.
MINIMUM CHARGE
The minimum charge, as provided in the rate schedule,
shall be made for each connection subscribed for under
the provisions in the rate schedule insert. Water and
Sewer service for a given lot shall be used on that lot
only. Each consumer's service must be separately metered
at a single delivery and metering point. Except for fire
protection,
the Corporation will not under any conditions
furnish water to anyone free of charge.
CORPORATIONS RESPONSIBILITY AND LIABILITY
The
Corporation shall run a service line from its distribution
line to the property line where the distribution line
exists,
or is to be constructed, and runs immediately
adjacent and parallel to the property to be served. No
service charge, other than the connecting fee referred
to in the rate schedule will be made for 5/8" x ¾" meter.
A proportionately greater charge will be made for a meter
of a larger dimension.(Tap fee schedule Insert) The Corporation
may make connections to service other properties not
adjacent to its lines. The corporation may install its
meter at or near the property line or the Corporation's
option, on the on the consumer's property within 3 feet
of the property line. The Corporation reserves the right
to refuse service unless the consumer's lines or piping
are installed in such a manner as to prevent cross-connections
or back flow. Under normal conditions, the consumer will
be notified of any anticipated interruption of service.
CONSUMERS RESPONSIBILTY
Where the meter
or meter box is placed on the premises of a consumer,
a suitable place shall be provided by the consumer therefore
, unobstructed and accessible at all times to the meter
reader. The consumer shall furnish and maintain a private
cut off valve on the consumer's side of the meter, the
Corporation is to provide a like valve on its
side
of such meter. The consumer's piping and apparatus
shall be installed and maintained by the consumer at
the consumer's expense, in a safe and effective manner
and accordance with the Corporations rules and regulations
and in the full compliance with the sanitary regulations
of the State Health Department. Water and sewer service
furnished by the Corporation shall be used for consumption
by the consumer, members of the household and employees
only. The consumer shall not sell water to any other
person or permit any other person to use said water
and sewer service. Water shall not be used for irrigation,
fire protection, nor any other purposes, except when
water is available in sufficient quantity without interfering
with regular domestic consumption in the area it is
served. Disregard for this rule shall be sufficient
cause for refusal or discontinuance of service.
ACCESS TO PREMISES
Duly authorized
agents of the Corporation shall have access at all reasonable
hours, to the premises of the consumer,
for the purpose
of installing or removing Corporation property, inspecting
piping, reading and testing meters or for any other
purpose in connection with the Corporation service and
facilities. Extension to the system shall be made only
when the consumer shall grant and convey, or shall cause
to be granted or conveyed, to the corporation a permanent
easement or right of way across any property tranversed
by the lines.
CHANGE OF OCCUPANCY
Not less than three days notice must be given in person
or in writing, at the corporation office, to discontinue
service
or to change occupancy. The outgoing party shall
be responsible for all water consumed up to the time
of departure or
the time specified for departure whichever
period is the longest. The new occupant will apply for
water service within
48 hours after occupying the premises
and failure to do so will make him liable for water consumed
since the meter
was last read.
METER READING AND BILLING COLLECTING
Meters will be read and bills rendered monthly,
but the Corporation reserves the right to vary the dates
or length of period covered, temporarily or permanently
if nesecessary or desirable. Bills for water and sewer
will be figured in accordance with the corporation's
rate schedule and will be based on the amount consumed
for the period covered by the meter readings except where
a consumer orders turn-off less than one month after
turn on the minimum bill to such consumer for such a period
shall be equal to the minimum charge for one full months
service. Consumer subscribing for water and sewer pursuant
to Section, CHARGES FOR USERS AGREEEING TO USE SERVICE
, will commence payment of at least a minimum water and
sewer bill when water and sewer are available whether
or not a meter is installed.
Readings for different meters will
not be combined for billing. Bills shall be paid for
at a place specified by the Corporation. Bills are due
when rendered, delinquent after 10 days and 10% penalty
shall automatically be added to such bills if not paid
within a 10 day period. Delinquint notices may be mailed
to the customer ten (10) days after the regular monthly
billing date, but whether mailed or not, if payment is
not made within 15 days after the due date services may
be discontinued. Failure to receive bills or notices
shall not prevent such bills from becoming deliquent
nor relieve the consumer from payment.
Sewer Connections
The Corporation hereby finds and determines that
it is essential to the proper sanitation of the city and
to the health of its inhabitants that all property
available to sewers be connected to the sewer system.
Property available means any house, tenement, building
or other structure which is located within the corporate
limits of the city and part of which is within two hundred
feet of a public sanitary sewer. The owner of any property
available to sewers shall be and hereby
is required,
within thirty days following completion of sewer lines,
to connect with the sewer system all water closets, urinals,
sinks, lavatories, laundry tubs, bath tubs, and other
fixtures of whatever kind and character from which water
is wasted on such property. After the expiration of said
thirty day period, it shall be unlawful for the owner
of any property available to sewers to keep or maintain
any surface closets, dry closets or cesspools upon such
property, or to keep or maintain upon such property any
fixture from which water is wasted and which is not connected
with the sewer system. Any person violating the provisions
shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor. In the event
the owner of any property available to sewers does not
cause the required connection of such property to the
sewer system to be made, the Corporation may cause such
connections to be made at the expense of the property's
owner.
Suspension of Service
When Services are discontinued, and all water and sewer
bills have been paid, the security deposit will be refunded.
Upon discontinuance of service for nonpayment of water
and sewer bills, the security deposit will be applied
by the Corporation toward settlement of the account.
Any balance will be refunded to the consumer but if the
security deposit
is not sufficient to cover the bill,
the Corporation may proceed to collect the balance in
the usual way provided by law
for the collection of debts.
Service disconnected for nonpayment of water and sewer
bills will be restored only after bills are paid in full,
such security deposit as may be required by the Corporation
is made, and a service charge of $25.00 paid for each
meter reconnected. A fee of $25.00 will be charged for
each check that is returned for insufficient funds
or
accounts closed. The Corporation reserves the right to
discontinue its service without notice for the following
reasons:
To prevent fraud or abuse.
Consumers willful disregard of the Corporation's rules.
Emergency repairs.
Insufficiency of water supply due to circumstances beyond
the Corporation's control.
Legal processes.
Direction of public authorities.
Strike, riot, flood, accident or any unavoidable cause.
The Corporation may, in addition to prosecution by
law, permanently refuse service to any consumer who tampers
with a meter or other measuring device.
Complaints - Adjustments
If the consumer
believes his bill to be in error, he shall present his
claim, in person, at the office of the Water and Sewer
Board before the bill becomes delinquent, such claims
if made after the bill has become delinquent, shall not
be effective in preventing discontinuance of service
as heretofore provided. The consumer may pay such bill
under protest and said payment shall not prejudice his
claim. The Corporation will make special meter readings
at the request of the consumer for a fee of $5.00 provided,
however, that if such special reading discloses that
the meter was over read, no charges will be made. Meters
will be tested at request of the consumer upon payment
of the Corporation of the actual cost of making the test,
provided, however, that if the meter is found to be over-registered
beyond three percent of the correct volume, no charge
will be made. If the seal of a meter is broken by other
than the Corporation's representative or if the meter
fails to register correctly or is stopped for any cause
the consumer shall pay an amount estimated from the record
of his previous bills and/or from other proper date.
For Emergency Service
Office 582-5931 • Weekend - Nights - Holidays 506-9000
If No Answer 582-6418
Helpful Hints for Water Usage
