Sec. 42-52. - Adjustment of water and sewer bills.

(a) In the event a water user receives a substantially higher water bill than is usual for said customer and it is determined that the excess usage was the likely result of a leak or break on the user's side of the water meter, and the water user provides appropriate evidence that such leak or break has been corrected, either by evidence of a paid receipt for the repair or evidence that water usage has returned to normal, the city manager or a person designated by the city manager shall have the power to review and adjust the water and sewer bill of the customer to an amount equaling the average water and sewer bill incurred by the user during the preceding three-month period plus the actual cost of water and sewer that flowed thru the meter. In the event the water user does not have a three-month use history at the location in question, other equitable adjustments may be considered in accordance with the spirit of this subsection at the discretion of the city manager or a person designated by the city manager. Substantially higher shall be defined as a monthly usage exceeding two and one-half times the average water usage of the last three months of billing. No sewer adjustment shall be considered for a winter average customer.

(b) When residential customers have excessive metered water usage that could not reasonably be expected to have entered the sanitary sewer system, the city manager or a person designated by the city manager shall have the authority to adjust the sanitary sewer charge to an amount equaling the average sewer bill incurred by the user during the preceding three-month period. In the event the customer does not have a three-month use history at the location in question, other equitable adjustments may be considered in accordance with the spirit of this subsection at the discretion of the city manager or a person designated by the city manager. Excessive water usage shall be defined as a monthly usage exceeding two and one-half times the average water usage of the last three months of billing. No sewer adjustment shall be considered for a winter average customer.

(c) Any customer who is unhappy with the administrative decision may appeal to the city council.