§ 24-323. Unauthorized connection and penalties.

The board reserves the right to terminate water and sewer services and disconnect a customer from the water or sewer system when:

(1)

Acids or chemicals damaging to sewer lines or treatment process are released into the sewer causing rapid deterioration of these structures or interfering with proper conveyance and treatment of sewage; or

(2)

A governmental agency informs the board that the effluent from the sewage treatment plant is no longer of a quality permitted for discharge, and it is found that the customer is delivering sewage to the board's system that cannot be sufficiently treated or requires treatment that is not provided by the board as normal domestic sewage; or

(3)

The customer:

a.

Discharges industrial waste or sewage that is in violation of the permit issued by the approving authority or board,

b.

Discharges sewage at an uncontrolled, variable rate in sufficient quantity to cause an imbalance in the sewage treatment system,

c.

Fails to pay monthly bills for water and/or sewer services when due,

d.

Repeats a discharge of prohibited wastes into public sewers,

e.

Fails to comply with cross connection control requirements specified in division 11, or

f.

Fails to pay monthly fire line charges when due.

(4)

The board does hereby officially find and declare that any persons making any unauthorized connection to either the water or the sewer lines of the board, or to both, creates an undue burden on those customers of the board who have paid for service. The board further officially declares that it will make every effort to discover any unauthorized use of its facilities and will rigidly enforce the payment of the fees imposed under section 24-271 for making such unauthorized connection.

(5)

When the board discovers that any person has connected to its water line or to its sewer line, the board will immediately levy charge for connecting the line based on the published charges or rates. Unless such payment is made in cash within 30 days after the assessment thereof by the board, the board will disconnect the sewer service or the water service, or both, at its discretion. In addition to the assessment of said charges the board will also assess the monthly water or sewage service charge levied against any unauthorized connection, and will levy the minimum sum fixed for an unauthorized connection to the water or sewer system of the board.

(6)

If the board is unable to determine when the unauthorized connection was made, the board will levy a charge for not less than six months and not less than $25.00 per month for each unlawful or unauthorized connection to the water or sewage system. The board will demand payment in cash for all of such charges fixed by it and unless the same are paid within 30 days, the board may disconnect the water service or the sewer service, or both.

(7)

If a connection has been made to the sewer system of the board without permission or without payment of the published charges, and there is also a connection to the water system, the board will assess such charges for the sewer connection and may disconnect the water unless the charges are paid in cash within 30 days.

(8)

The board reserves the right to take such other, further or different action as it may, in its discretion, determine.

(9)

The levy of penalties or charges hereunder shall not be construed as a waiver on the part of the board of its right to prosecute such person or persons if they have obtained such services unlawfully or fraudulently.

(10)

In the event any property owner has agreed to pay for the right to connect to the water system or to the sewer system of the board, or to both, under the partial payment plan, and has defaulted in the monthly payments required under such partial payment plan, and such default continues, the board may, at its option, discontinue service until such time as the entire balance due is paid. The customer may make arrangements to pay the balance, such payments based upon Okaloosa County Water and Sewer original partial payment plan rate plus ten percent on the unpaid balance until all of the unpaid principal and interest is liquidated.

(11)

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

(12)

No person shall maliciously, willfully, or negligently break, damage, destroy, uncover, deface, or tamper with any structure, meter, appurtenance or equipment which is a part of the water or sewage facilities belonging to the board. Any person violating this provision shall be subject to immediate arrest under charge of disorderly conduct and shall be responsible for any loss of revenue or monetary expenditures needed for repairs brought about by their actions.

( Ord. No. 16-16 , § 1, 9-6-16)