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SERVICE CHARGES AND RATES

Norfolk City Code ch. 46.1, art. III
in effect

Norfolk City Code § 46.1-29 Application for service generally.

Sec. 46.1-29. - Application for service generally. The director of utilities is hereby authorized to furnish water to customers upon request by the owner, agent or tenant of premises now connected with the city water system or hereafter to be connected. (Ord. No. 41,100, § 2, 7-15-03)

Norfolk City Code § 46.1-30 Application for service and water taps for new connections.

Sec. 46.1-30. - Application for service and water taps for new connections. (a) In the case of a new building or premise[s] to be supplied with water for the first time, the person requesting the service must designate the point along the property line where the service is to enter the premise[s]. The city, however, reserves the right to regulate the size of the tap meter and its location. (b) Upon the payment of the charge for the tap as herein prescribed and the approval of the request for a new service, the tap will be made by the department of utilities complete to and beyond the curb line, including the meter and meter box. The charges for taps and meters shall be as follows: Effective July 1, 1989 Tap Size | Charge for Tap and Meter ¾-inch and meter | $525.00 1-inch and meter | 750.00 Over 1-inch and meter | Actual cost Meter only for ¾-inch tap | 125.00 Meter only for 1-inch tap | 150.00 Meter only for 1½-inch tap | 225.00 Meter only for 2-inch tap | 275.00 Meter only for tap over 2 inches | Actual cost (c) The customer requesting a portable meter shall deposit the sum of fifteen hundred dollars ($1,500.00) with the department of utilities. (d) Prior to the installation of any tap and meter, the cost or the cost as estimated by the department of utilities, as well as any fees imposed by the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD), shall be deposited with the city. No tap connection shall be installed until the charges are paid. (e) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, in the introduction of water from the city water system into any house or lot, there shall be a separate tap or connection with the water pipe of the city and a separate service pipe for each house or lot, and no service pipe shall be used for supplying more than one house. (Ord. No. 41,100, § 2, 7-15-03)

Norfolk City Code § 46.1-31 Fee for establishing account.

Sec. 46.1-31. - Fee for establishing account. Each person making application for water service from the water system of the city shall pay to the city a fee of twenty dollars ($20.00) for each premise[s] to be served, to cover the cost of establishing an account. This fee shall be in addition to other charges prescribed by this chapter. (Ord. No. 41,100, § 2, 7-15-03)

Norfolk City Code § 46.1-32 Rates prescribed.

Sec. 46.1-32. - Rates prescribed. (a) Each Norfolk retail water customer shall pay two dollars seventy-six cents ($2.76) per one hundred (100) cubic feet (three dollars sixty-nine cents ($3.69) per one thousand (1,000) gallons) of all treated water used during the period from July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2004; and shall pay three dollars one cent ($3.01) per one hundred (100) cubic feet (four dollars two cents ($4.02) per thousand (1,000) gallons) of all treated water used during the period from July 1, 2004, through June 30, 2005; and shall pay three dollars twenty-six cents ($3.26) per one hundred (100) cubic feet (four dollars thirty-six cents ($4.36) per thousand (1,000) gallons) for all treated water used during the period from July 1, 2005, through June 30, 2006; and annual increases of three and one-half (3.5) percent over the previous year's rate beginning July 1, 2006, and each July 1 thereafter, until amended. (b) Reserved. (c) Wholesale customers which are municipal corporations shall pay two dollars eighty-four cents ($2.84) per one hundred (100) cubic feet (three dollars eighty cents ($3.80) per (1,000) thousand gallons) of all treated water used during the period from July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2004; and shall pay three dollars nine cents ($3.09) per one hundred (100) cubic feet (four dollars thirteen cents ($4.13) per thousand (1,000) gallons) of all treated water used during the period from July 1, 2004, through June 30, 2005; and shall pay three dollars thirty-four cents ($3.34) per one hundred (100) cubic feet (four dollars forty-seven cents ($4.47) per thousand (1,000) gallons) for all treated water used during the period from July 1, 2005, through June 30, 2006; and annual increases of three and one-half (3.5) percent over the previous year's rate beginning July 1, 2006, and each July 1 thereafter, until amended or unless such rate is otherwise established by written contract. (d) The director of utilities may sell to any customer untreated water at one dollar fifteen cents ($1.15) per thousand (1,000) gallons (eighty-six cents ($0.86) per hundred (100) cubic feet) from and after July 1, 2009. The untreated water rate will adjust annually each July 1 thereafter according to the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U), U.S. City Average annual values for the preceding twelve (12) months, January through December, for the calendar year, all items, not seasonally adjusted (1982—84=100), published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. In no event shall the current untreated water rate decrease if the comparison of the year-to-year CPI shows a decrease from the previous year. The current untreated water rate shall then remain in effect until the next annual CPI index comparison shows an increase. (e) External customers who, by mutual agreement with the host jurisdiction, are served directly by the Norfolk water system shall pay for treated water at the rate charged to such customers within the city unless otherwise established by council. Each account shall also pay published service charges and utility taxes. (f) Reserved. (g) The director of utilities may sell to any wholesale military customer treated water at six dollars eleven cents ($6.11) per thousand (1,000) gallons (four dollars fifty-seven cents ($4.57) per hundred (100) cubic feet) from and after July 1, 2012. The treated water rate will adjust annually each July 1 thereafter to a rate equivalent to three and one-half (3.5) percent over the previous year's rate. (Ord. No. 41,100, § 2, 7-15-03; Ord. No. 42,277, § 11, 5-16-06; Ord. No. 42,662, § 22, 5-15-07; Ord. No. 43,447, § 1, 5-19-09; Ord. No. 44,727, § 1, 6-26-12, eff. 7-1-12; Ord. No. 45,955, § 30, 5-19-15, eff. 7-1-15)

Norfolk City Code § 46.1-33 Charges for fire service.

Sec. 46.1-33. - Charges for fire service. (a) No charge shall be made for water used for fire purposes, but the following charges shall be made: Effective January 1, 1993 Connection Size (inches) | Daily Service Charges 1½ | 0.059 2 | 0.094 3 | 0.185 4 | 0.41 6 | 1.21 8 | 2.63 10 | 4.56 (b) Fire service fees, as established in subsection (a) for buildings with limited head fire suppression systems installed before October 1, 1992, shall be based on the fire suppression requirements for meter sizing, excluding the domestic fixture requirements, as authorized by the director of utilities. (c) Exception: Single-family detached dwellings and townhouse dwellings up to a maximum of three (3) stories with fire sprinklers that are supplied by the domestic water meter are exempt from fire service charges. (Ord. No. 41,100, § 2, 7-15-03; Ord. No. 43,836, § 3, 5-18-10)

Norfolk City Code § 46.1-34 Finance charge on past due accounts.

Sec. 46.1-34. - Finance charge on past due accounts. For all past due accounts a finance charge of ten (10) percent per year, computed daily, shall be applied to the full outstanding balance of the public service bill, after thirty-five (35) days from the date of issue. (Ord. No. 41,100, § 2, 7-15-03)

Norfolk City Code § 46.1-35 Charge for turning water on or off during emergency.

Sec. 46.1-35. - Charge for turning water on or off during emergency. If employees of the department of utilities are requested to turn off or on water at any city curb cock during an emergency, the customer will not be charged during normal working hours, but will be charged and billed twenty dollars ($20.00) after normal working hours for each such turn off or on of the water. This section shall not apply to the discontinuing service for failure to pay, unauthorized restoration. (Ord. No. 41,100, § 2, 7-15-03)

Norfolk City Code § 46.1-36 Size and type of meters; charges for changing meters; changing from flat-rate to metered service.

Sec. 46.1-36. - Size and type of meters; charges for changing meters; changing from flat-rate to metered service. (a) All water meters shall be of such size and type as may be determined by the director of utilities. (b) The following amounts shall be charged and collected in advance by the department of utilities for changing a meter from a larger to a smaller size: (1) One inch or smaller to a smaller size, twenty dollars ($20.00). (2) Charges for changing meters in excess of one inch to a smaller size shall be based on actual cost. (Ord. No. 41,100, § 2, 7-15-03)

Norfolk City Code § 46.1-37 Bills and due date thereof.

Sec. 46.1-37. - Bills and due date thereof. (a) The director of utilities or his designee is authorized to bill all water customers monthly, in accordance with the location in the city for the service rendered, and such bills shall be due and payable within twenty-one (21) days from the date of the bill. (b) The policies and procedures related to billing, delinquent notices and collection of public service bills heretofore established by the director are ratified, confirmed and continued. The director of utilities shall periodically review, establish and enforce policies and procedures related to billing, delinquent notices and collection of public service bills. (Ord. No. 41,100, § 2, 7-15-03)

Norfolk City Code § 46.1-38 Testing meter and adjustment of bill for inaccuracy.

Sec. 46.1-38. - Testing meter and adjustment of bill for inaccuracy. (a) Any customer shall have the right to request that the meter through which water is being furnished be examined and tested by the department of utilities for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not it is registering correctly the amount of water which is being delivered through it. Customers desiring to have a meter two (2) inches or less in size tested shall deposit the amount of twenty dollars ($20.00) with the department. (b) The actual cost of testing of meters in excess of two (2) inches shall be the responsibility of the customer. The department of utilities shall estimate the cost and such estimated costs shall be paid by the customer prior to the meter being tested. (c) If, on such examination and test, the meter is found to register three (3) percent or more water than actually passes through it, the meter shall be corrected, repaired or replaced by the department. The fee charged for the test shall then be refunded and the public service bill shall be adjusted accordingly. (Ord. No. 41,100, § 2, 7-15-03)

Norfolk City Code § 46.1-39 Adjustment of inaccurate bills.

Sec. 46.1-39. - Adjustment of inaccurate bills. If it is determined by the department of utilities that a customer's public service bill has been incorrectly calculated, the department reserves the right to make adjustments and bill accordingly. (Ord. No. 41,100, § 2, 7-15-03)

Norfolk City Code § 46.1-40 Adjustment of abnormal bills due to leakage.

Sec. 46.1-40. - Adjustment of abnormal bills due to leakage. The director is hereby authorized to adjust and settle such claims against the department of utilities for abnormal public service bills, due to leakage, as will, in the judgment of the director, work an injustice to the customer unless corrected. (Ord. No. 41,100, § 2, 7-15-03)

Norfolk City Code § 46.1-41 Charges when meter fails to register.

Sec. 46.1-41. - Charges when meter fails to register. (a) Whenever a meter is out of order and fails to register, the customer shall be charged with an average daily consumption of water, as shown by the meter when in good working order and registering correctly. (b) Where prior consumption data is not available or incomplete, the department of utilities shall estimate consumption based upon the data available and upon data from similar activities of equal intensity. (Ord. No. 41,100, § 2, 7-15-03)

Norfolk City Code § 46.1-42 Discontinuing service for failure to pay.

Sec. 46.1-42. - Discontinuing service for failure to pay. (a) Should any customer not pay a bill for fees or water service when due, that customer shall be deemed in default, and the department of utilities shall cause the water to be shut off from any or all premise[s]s then being supplied with water for that customer. The water shall not be turned on again at any such premise[s] for that customer until all arrearage and charges for such customer, regardless of where incurred, shall have been paid, including a charge of ten dollars ($10.00) for turning the water off at any premise[s], pursuant to this section. Any customer in default shall settle all past due indebtedness for fees or water service provided for under this chapter, regardless of where incurred, before again being served with city water. (b) Termination of service will be consistent with the department's policies and procedures and no termination of service shall occur should the customer settle such indebtedness or satisfactorily explain the same to the department of utilities prior to the scheduled termination date. (Ord. No. 41,100, § 2, 7-15-03)

Norfolk City Code § 46.1-43 Unauthorized restoration of discontinued service.

Sec. 46.1-43. - Unauthorized restoration of discontinued service. (a) Should the water be cut off from any premise[s] by the department of utilities, and be reconnected without proper authorization, the service shall again be disconnected and shall not be restored until the customer pays all delinquent bills, and in addition thereto, the sum of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for restoring the service. (b) If it is determined to be in the city's best interest, and upon approval of the director, the water service to a premise[s] may be mechanically terminated. Restoration will not be made until all delinquent fees, charges, removal costs and new connection fees or other necessary corrections have been made. (Ord. No. 41,100, § 2, 7-15-03)

Norfolk City Code § 46.1-44 Procedure when property is vacated.

Sec. 46.1-44. - Procedure when property is vacated. (a) The customer or the customer's authorized agent, shall promptly notify the department of utilities to terminate the supply of water to a vacated premises. Upon such notification, the department of utilities shall terminate the supply of water to the premises and record the reading of the meter. A final public-service bill shall be issued to the customer or customer's authorized agent. If before vacating the premises the customer or customer's agent does not notify the department of utilities to terminate the supply of water, the customer shall pay the public-service bill for the consumption of water on the vacant premises when due. If there is water consumption on the premises after the department of utilities has terminated the supply of water, then the owner shall be responsible for such water consumption and the owner shall cause the public-service bill for the water consumption to be paid to the department of utilities when due. (b) Utilities fees and charges for services provided to a premises shall constitute a lien against the real estate, ranking on parity with liens for unpaid taxes. Such amounts, plus reasonable attorney's or collection agency's fees, which shall not exceed twenty (20) percent of the delinquent bill, may be recovered by the city by action at law or suit in equity. Any lien for utility fees and charges when properly docketed in the clerk's office may, in addition to or in lieu of termination of services, be enforced in the same manner as real estate taxes due the city. Such lien shall not bind or affect a subsequent bona fide purchaser of such real estate for valuable consideration without actual notice of such lien, until and except from the time that the amount of such fees and charges are entered in a judgment lien book in the circuit court wherein the real estate or a part thereof is located. Such lien on any real estate may be discharged by the payment of the total amount of such lien and the interest, which may accrue to the date of payment. (Ord. No. 41,100, § 2, 7-15-03; Ord. No. 42,277, § 12, 5-16-06)

Norfolk City Code § 46.1-45 Charges for restoring service when property has been vacated.

Sec. 46.1-45. - Charges for restoring service when property has been vacated. When a premise[s] has been vacated and the meter removed at the owner's request, the following charges shall be made and collected when an application is made to restore service: (1) For two (2) inches or less connections, twenty dollars ($20.00). (2) Charges to restore service for connections in excess of two (2) inches shall be based on actual cost. (Ord. No. 41,100, § 2, 7-15-03)
Source: City of Norfolk, Virginia, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/va/norfolk/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COCI_CH46.1WASU_ARTIIISECHRAFetched: 11/1/2026

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