Deposit to assure payment.
Houston Code of Ordinances § 47-68
in effectSec. 47-68. - Deposit to assure payment.
(a) Every person requesting water service from the city shall furnish the information required by the utility official, including information necessary to investigate the credit stability of the applicant. The utility official may require that an applicant provide the name and address of the owner of the service address, and the full legal description of the service address.
(1) A customer who uses service without making application shall pay for all water used from the date of the last meter reading previous to that customer's use of service.
If the customer fails to make an application or to provide information that the department requests, the department may disconnect the premises without further notice.
(2) By making an application for water service, the applicant agrees to timely pay for all furnished services.
(3) The department may review multi-family, light commercial, commercial, and industrial customer accounts at any time to determine financial stability.
(b) The city may disconnect service for failure to make an application or provide information requested by the department.
(c) If a deposit is required, water service will not be commenced until the applicant has made the required deposit with the city.
(d) Each time a termination of service is made to a customer for failure to make timely payment of charges for water or sanitary sewer service, a recheck of the customer's credit stability will be made and a deposit will be required before water service is restored, if the utility official determines that it is necessary in order to protect the interests of the city.
(e) Deposits will be retained by the city until a satisfactory credit rating has been established by the customer making the deposit, or termination of services requested, or application for services to the same property or address is made by a new applicant.
(f) After a customer's water service has been discontinued at his request, and all water charges and fees have been fully satisfied, if he has a deposit with the department, he shall be entitled to have refunded to him the deposit or the remaining portion thereof after all charges due the city by the customer have been deducted from such deposit.
(g) In order to collect past due payments, the utility official may transfer account balances from one account to another for customers with more than one account (including accounts for different properties), but the utility official must give written notice to the customer.
(Code 1968, § 49-59; Ord. No. 89-24, § 4, 1-4-89; Ord. No. 90-635, §§ 153, 160, 5-23-90; Ord. No. 93-514, § 119, 5-5-93; Ord. No. 07-599, §§ 23, 24, 5-16-07)
Source: City of Houston, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/houston/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH47WASE_ARTIICIWASECH_DIV1GE_S47-68DEASPAFetched: 10/26/2026