Billing and Collection Procedures

Huntsville Code of Ordinances ch. 26, art. IV, div. 6, subpt. II

in effect

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-641 When consumers billed.

Sec. 26-641. - When consumers billed. The city shall, as soon as practical after the meter is read, cause to be either mailed or electronically delivered to the customer a statement of water consumption furnished by the city or to the owner of the house, building or property where such water service is furnished. Such statement shall show the quantity of water consumed by the consumer for the preceding 30 days and the amount due. In the case of the first billing of new accounts and final billings of all accounts where the period covered involves fractions of a month, the availability charges shall be adjusted to a basis proportionate with the period of time during which service was furnished. Any consumer requiring service for a period not exceeding 30 days shall be required to pay the availability charge for one month, together with the rate for the water consumed. (Code 1982, § 23-136; Ord. No. 15-912, 12-17-2015)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-642 Failure to receive bill.

Sec. 26-642. - Failure to receive bill. Failure to receive a statement or water bill shall not entitle any person to the net rates, nor shall it prevent the city from discontinuing service or cutting off the water in accordance with section 26-645. (Code 1982, § 23-137)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-643 Dishonored checks.

Sec. 26-643. - Dishonored checks. When any check or order is delivered to the city in payment of any water account or water bill and is accepted and such check, or order, upon due presentation to the bank or trust company upon which it is drawn is not paid, the city shall charge the amount of such check or order back to the water bill or water account of such person. Such water bill or water account shall be considered a delinquent account, and the city shall be authorized to discontinue service in accordance with section 26-645, the same as if the check or order had not been given. (Code 1982, § 23-138)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-644 Penalties.

Sec. 26-644. - Penalties. A penalty of five percent on the first $250.00 of the bill plus one percent on any portion of the bill exceeding $250.00 shall be charged on all water bills based upon the rates set out in section 26-631 if such bill is not paid in full on or before the date shown on such bill. Payments that are due on a weekend or holiday will be due the next business day. (Code 1982, § 23-139; Ord. No. 15-912, 12-17-2015)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-645 When service discontinued for failure to pay bill; reconnection charge.

Sec. 26-645. - When service discontinued for failure to pay bill; reconnection charge. If any consumer or owner of the house, building or property shall refuse or neglect to pay his water bill or charge on or before the penalty date as shown on the statement the water may be turned off and shall not be turned on again until the bill or charge shall be paid in full, plus a reasonable charge for turning on and off the water. (Code 1982, § 23-140)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-646 Collection of connection and disconnection charges.

Sec. 26-646. - Collection of connection and disconnection charges. A fee for connection, reconnection and disconnection for water services, and a charge to process returned checks which may or might be dishonored, may be established and collected to cover costs incurred for connecting, reconnecting service or disconnecting service. Such charges for such services shall be those charges which shall be made and determined by the waterworks utility board. (Code 1982, § 23-141)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-647 Service not restored while delinquent consumer resides on premises.

Sec. 26-647. - Service not restored while delinquent consumer resides on premises. No member of the consumer's family or anyone else living in the same house or building or on such property with the consumer where the water is cut off shall have the right to make or offer to make a deposit for water, or to demand that the city turn on the water at such place, so long as a delinquent lives there, and the water bill or charges, plus a reasonable charge as required in section 26-645, is unpaid. Further, delinquent charges owed by any member of the consumer's family living in the same house or delinquent charges of anyone else living in the same house will be charged back to the current active account to the same extent as if those charges were owed by the person who made the application for the account. (Code 1982, § 23-142; Ord. No. 85-53, 1-24-1985)

Source: City of Huntsville, Alabama, publisher code (Municode) + enacted ordinances (City Council/Legistar)URL: https://library.municode.com/al/huntsville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH26UT_ARTIVWASE_DIV6RACHBICOPR_SDIIBICOPRFetched: 11/6/2026