City of Washington, MO Rates And Charges

Section 700.180 Schedule Of Rates — Penalty For Delayed Payments.

[R.O. 1992 § 700.180; Ord. No. 6843 § 5, 5-7-1990; Ord. No. 00-8866 § 4, 8-7-2000; Ord. No. 01-8997 § 1, 4-16-2001; Ord. No. 09-10524 § 1, 2-2-2009; Ord. No. 10-10672 § 2, 2-16-2010; Ord. No. 15-11349 § 2, 1-5-2015]

Occupants of a premises connected to the City water system, as defined in Section 700.010(A)(1) of this Code, shall pay for water drawn from the water system of the City, on a monthly basis, according to readings of the meters in each particular case as follows:

[Ord. No. 20-13162, 8-17-2020]

Commencing October 1, 2011:

Number Of Gallons	Charge
For the first 1,500 gallons or fraction thereof	$6.50
For the next 5,167 gallons, per 1,000 gallons or fraction thereof	$2.09
For the next 10,000 gallons, per 1,000 gallons or fraction thereof	$1.96
All usage in excess of 16,667 gallons	$1.44

Commencing October 1, 2020:

Number Of Gallons	Charge
Monthly Service Availability Fee (includes zero gallons)	$7.00
For the first 16,667 gallons, per 1,000 gallons or fraction thereof	$2.25
All usage in excess of 16,667 gallons, per 1,000 gallons or fraction thereof	$1.55

Commencing October 1, 2021:

From and after October 1, 2021, and each October 1 thereafter: (a) the rate per one thousand (1,000) gallons of fraction thereof for the first sixteen thousand six hundred sixty-seven (16,667) gallons, and (b) the rate per one thousand (1,000) gallons or fraction thereof for all usage in excess of sixteen thousand six hundred sixty-seven (16,667) gallons, shall be increased by the percentage increase, if any, in the cost of living for the St. Louis Metropolitan Area as reflected in the most recent Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or an appropriate successor index, issued immediately prior to October 1 of the current year.

Commercial and industrial customers having sprinkler systems or fire protection are charged additionally, per year, as follows:

[Ord. No. 20-13162, 8-17-2020]

Size (square feet)	Charge
10,000 to 25,000	$40.50
25,000 to 50,000	$81.00
50,000 to 75,000	$121.00
75,000 to 100,000	$161.50

From and after October 1, 2021, and each October 1 thereafter, the charge for commercial and industrial customers having sprinkler systems shall be increased by the percentage increase, if any, in the cost of living for the St. Louis Metropolitan Area as reflected in the most recent Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or an appropriate successor index, issued immediately prior to October 1 of the current year.

All commercial, institutional, and industrial customers shall be billed on a monthly basis.

A bill is considered delinquent after twenty (20) days from the date of billing. A delinquent bill shall be subject to a penalty of ten percent (10%) applied to the delinquent balance in addition to interest at the rate of one-and-one-half-percent-per-month on the delinquent balance. If a bill for a water charge is delinquent through no fault of the water user, the additional one-and-one-half-percent-per-month charge may be waived upon submittal of satisfactory evidence. For any bill not paid within fifteen (15) days after the bill becomes delinquent, the customer's service shall be disconnected until the bill is paid.

Payment arrangements for delinquent accounts prior to shutoff must be approved by the Water Superintendent or the Finance Director following these guidelines:

[Ord. No. 21-13266, 3-1-2021]

At the customer request for a payment arrangement the customer must pay upon making the payment arrangement the current bill plus twenty percent (20%) of the past due amount plus any penalties and interest.

Upon the next month's bill due date (second month of payment arrangement), the customer must pay the current bill plus twenty percent (20%) of the remaining past due balance plus interest.

Upon the next month's bill due date (third month of payment arrangement), the customer must pay the current bill plus twenty percent (20%) of the remaining past due balance plus interest.

Upon the next month's bill due date (fourth month of payment arrangement), the customer must pay the current bill plus twenty percent (20%) of the remaining past due balance plus interest.

Upon the next month's bill due date (fifth month of payment arrangement), the customer must pay the current bill plus twenty percent (20%) of the remaining past due balance plus interest.

Upon the next month's bill due date (sixth month of payment arrangement), if the customer does not have a current deposit on the account, the customer will be required to pay the current bill plus the customer deposit in accordance with Section 700.230 or Section 700.235 and Section 705.210 or Section 705.215. The City will include the required deposit amount on the customer's utility bill.

If the customer fails to abide by the terms of the payment arrangement, the customer account will be subject to immediate service disconnect in accordance with Section 700.210.

If the customer signs up for automatic bill pay, all penalties, interest and reconnect fees will be waived. This waiver can only be applied for once per customer.

Payment arrangements for delinquent accounts after shutoff must be approved by the Water Superintendent or the Finance Director following these guidelines:

[Ord. No. 21-13266, 3-1-2021]

Upon the next month's bill due date (second month of payment arrangement), the customer must pay the current bill plus twenty percent (20%) of the remaining past due balance plus interest.

Upon the next month's bill due date (third month of payment arrangement), the customer must pay the current bill plus twenty percent (20%) of the remaining past due balance plus interest.

Upon the next month's bill due date (fourth month of payment arrangement), the customer must pay the current bill plus twenty percent (20%) of the remaining past due balance plus interest.

Upon the next month's bill due date (fifth month of payment arrangement), the customer must pay the current bill plus twenty percent (20%) of the remaining past due balance plus interest.

If the customer fails to abide by the terms of the payment arrangement, the customer account will be subject to immediate service disconnect in accordance with Section 700.210.

If the customer signs up for automatic bill pay, all penalties, interest and reconnect fees will be waived. This waiver can only be applied for once per customer.

Section 700.190 Filling Of Swimming Pools.

[R.O. 1992 § 700.190; Ord. No. 6702 § 1, 6-19-1989]

The rate for water used in the filling of swimming pools in accordance with Section 700.090 of this Code shall be as follows:

First 20,000 gallons or fraction thereof: $20.00

Over 20,000 gallons, per 1,000 gallons or fraction thereof: $1.00

Section 700.200 Rate And One-Half And Payment In Lieu Of Taxes.

[R.O. 1992 § 700.200; Ord. No. 6702 § 1, 6-19-1989; Ord. No. 7230, 6-15-1992; Ord. No. 21-13267, 3-1-2021

Any and all water and water-related services provided for residential, commercial, or industrial establishments located outside the corporate boundaries of the City of Washington, Missouri, shall be charged two hundred percent (200%) of the rates for all water and water-related services provided to all establishments residing within the City limits of Washington, Missouri.

The aforesaid charges of two hundred percent (200%) of the rates for all water and water-related services provided to all establishments residing within the City limits of Washington, Missouri, shall apply until annexation by the City of Washington of the property.

Section 700.210 Liability For Payment Generally — Collection.

[R.O. 1992 § 700.210; Ord. No. 6702 § 1, 6-19-1989; Ord. No. 8091 §§ 1—2, 11-18-1996; Ord. No. 10-10672 § 3, 2-16-2010; Ord. No. 15-11373 § 1, 3-2-2015; Ord. No. 21-13268, 3-1-2021]

Water service shall be deemed to be furnished to both the occupant and owner of the premises receiving such service, and, except as otherwise provided in Subsection (B) of this Section, the City of Washington shall have power to sue the occupant or owner, or both, of such real estate in a civil action to recover any sums due for such service less any deposit that is held by the City for such service, plus a reasonable attorney's fee to be fixed by the court.

When the occupant is delinquent in payment for thirty (30) days, the City shall make a good faith effort to notify the owner of the premises receiving such service of the delinquency and the amount thereof. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section to the contrary, when an occupant is delinquent more than ninety (90) days, the owner shall not be liable for sums due for more than ninety (90) days of service. Any notice of termination of service shall be sent to both the occupant and owner of the premises receiving such service.

In instances where several residences share a common water line, the owner of the real property upon which the residences sit shall be liable for water expenses.

The provisions of this Section shall not apply to unapplied-for utility services. As used in this Section, "unapplied-for utility services" means services requiring application by the property owner and acceptance of such application by the utility prior to the establishment of an account. The property owner is billed directly for the services provided, and, as a result, any delinquent payment of a bill becomes the responsibility of the property owner rather than the occupant.

Any user charges, connection fees, or other charges levied by the City of Washington shall, if not paid by the due date, become delinquent and shall bear interest from the date of delinquency until paid. If such charges become delinquent they shall be a lien upon any land within the City of Washington, Missouri, so charged, upon the City Council of the City of Washington filing with the Recorder of Deeds of Franklin County, Missouri a notice of delinquency. The City Council shall file with the Recorder of Deeds a similar notice when the delinquent amounts, plus interest and any recording fees or attorneys' fees, have been paid in full. The lien hereby created may be enforced by suit or foreclosure.

Section 700.220 Liability Of Owner Of A Mobile Home Park.

[R.O. 1992 § 700.220; Ord. No. 6702 § 1, 6-19-1989; Ord. No. 00-8866 § 5, 8-7-2000]

The owner of any mobile home park shall be considered the consumer of water and shall be liable for payment of City services. Said mobile home park shall be served by one (1) large meter which will be read monthly and billed. The bill shall be based on the rates set forth in Section 700.180 hereof and shall be sent to the owner of the mobile home park.

Section 700.230 Deposits.

[R.O. 1992 § 700.230; Ord. No. 6702 § 1, 6-19-1989; Ord. No. 00-8867 § 1, 8-7-2000; Ord. No. 10-10672 § 4, 2-16-2010; Ord. No. 15-11349 § 3, 1-5-2015]

Whenever any residential consumer of water becomes delinquent in the payment of his/her water bill, in addition to such other rights that the Board of Public Works has according to its rules and regulations, the residential consumer shall pay a cash deposit of a sum equal to fifty dollars ($50.00). Whenever any new application is made for residential water service, the Board of Public Works shall, before furnishing water to such residential consumer or applicant, require payment of any unpaid Water Department bills and a cash deposit of a sum equal to fifty dollars ($50.00). On written request of the residential consumer, deposits shall be credited to the residential consumer's account following twenty-four (24) consecutive months of timely payments. In the event twenty-four (24) months of timely payments are not made, the deposit will be held and applied to the residential consumer's final bill, and the balance, if any, shall be refunded to the residential consumer. Any residential consumer with five (5) years of timely payment history who moves to a new location will not be required to pay a cash deposit to set up service at the new location. All such deposits shall be maintained in a separate account by the Board of Public Works to be known as the "Customer Deposit Fund," and payments therefrom are to be made by order of the Board of Public Works. No interest shall be paid upon deposits.

Section 700.235 Delinquent In Payment.

[R.O. 1992 § 700.235; Ord. No. 10-10672 § 5, 2-16-2010]

Whenever any commercial consumer of water becomes delinquent in the payment of his/her water bill for a period of more than one (1) month from the date when the same becomes due and payable, in addition to such other rights that the Board of Public Works has according to its rules and regulations, the commercial consumer shall pay a cash deposit of a sum equal to one hundred dollars ($100.00). Whenever any new application is made for commercial water service by a tenant, renter or lessee, the Board of Public Works shall, before furnishing water to such commercial consumer or applicant, require payment of any unpaid Water Department bills and a cash deposit of a sum equal to one hundred dollars ($100.00). The deposit shall be to guarantee to the City the prompt payment of all Water Department bills, and if the deposit is reduced thereafter by reason of such guarantee, such commercial consumer shall pay an additional amount sufficient to replace such reduction. On written request of the commercial consumer deposits shall be credited to the commercial consumer's account following twenty-four (24) consecutive months of timely payments. In the event twenty-four (24) months of timely payment are not made, the deposit will be held and applied to the commercial consumer's final bill and the balance, if any, shall be refunded to the commercial consumer. All such deposits shall be maintained in a separate account by the Board of Public Works to be known as the "Customer Deposit Fund," and payments therefrom are to be made by order of the Board of Public Works. No interest shall be paid upon deposits.