A. The City shall perform all billing of customers, the collection of charges, service initiation, changes in service and service deletions and will pay the contractor in accordance with his contract. The City may withhold payment to the contractor of any bills disputed by a customer for any reason until the dispute is resolved.

B. Charges for refuse collection and disposal may be billed in conjunction and simultaneously with statements issued by the City for water and sewer service, if any, unless the owner of the real estate wishes the garbage separated. If the owner of the real estate wishes the garbage bill separated, the owner of the real estate first must execute a form provided for by the City of Moses Lake indicating his desires. The form shall contain, at a minimum, the owner of the real estate’s name and address, the address to which he wishes the bill sent, and a statement that if the person at the address to which the bill is sent moves and leaves an unpaid balance, the owner of the real estate recognizes his responsibility for the bill. If garbage charges become delinquent they may be transferred to and added to the water account at the same property, if a water account exists. However, the form of billing shall be at the City’s discretion. If charges for refuse collection and disposal are billed in conjunction and simultaneous with statements issued by the City for water and sewer charges, all payments received from a customer shall be credited first to past due garbage charges, then the remainder, if there be any, first to past due sewer charges then to past due water charges. Payments on current accounts shall be credited first to garbage charges then the remainder, if there be any, to sewer charges then to water charges.

C. The billing for garbage service shall be made in the name of the owner of the real estate served or a tenant at the direction of the owner of the real estate. If the owner of the real estate wishes the bill sent to another address, the owner of the real estate first must execute a waiver form provided for by the City of Moses Lake. The form shall contain, at a minimum, the owner of the real estate’s name and address, the address to which he wishes the bill sent, and a statement that if the person at the address to which the bill is sent moves and leaves an unpaid balance, the owner of the real estate recognizes his responsibility for the bill.

D. The charges or accounts shall be paid at the Civic Center thirty (30) days after the date of billing, and if not paid, shall become delinquent on the thirty-first (31s)t day after the date of billing. Service may be suspended for nonpayment of such accounts. Such suspension shall not relieve the person owing such account from the duty of complying with the provisions of this chapter. Such suspension shall render the premises where such service is suspended, subject to condemnation for sanitary reasons.

E. Upon failure to pay the charges for garbage collection and disposal, the amount thereof shall become a lien against the real estate as provided for by law.

F. New garbage accounts, changes of occupant, and changes in garbage service shall be submitted on forms prescribed by the City Finance Department.

G. The service charge to establish a new garbage account or to change the occupant shall be the same as 13.12.085, Subsection C. Only one service charge shall be imposed if the account includes joint charging for water, sewer, garbage service, or any combination thereof.

H. A delinquent service charge shall apply to each garbage account to be the same as 13.12.085, Subsection B. Only one delinquent service charge shall be imposed if the account includes joint charging for water, sewer, garbage service, or any combination thereof.

I. Property served by more than one account must keep all accounts current. Any charges for garbage service which are billed on accounts separate from the water account may be transferred to the water account at the same property if the garbage account becomes delinquent. (Ord. 2736, 11/11/14; Ord. 2157, 3/23/04; Ord. 1145, 1984; Ord. 1128, 1984)