GENERAL PROVISIONS

Chandler City Code pt. VIII, ch. 50, art. I

in effect

Chandler City Code § 50-1 Definitions.

50-1. - Definitions. The following definitions shall apply: A. Utilities shall mean domestic water, reclaimed water, sewage disposal service and garbage and refuse collection. B. Single-family dwelling shall mean a building located upon a separate lot, designed for occupancy by one (1) family for living purposes. Single-family dwelling shall include a mobile home located upon a lot in a mobile home subdivision. Single-family dwelling shall also include a condominium or townhouse which has a separate water meter. C. Multi-family dwelling shall mean a building or group of buildings located upon a lot or group of adjoining lots having common ownership served by common water meters, designed for occupancy by two (2) or more families such as duplexes, triplexes, multiplex apartments, condominiums, townhouses and trailer or mobile home parks. D. Commercial building shall mean a building or group of buildings upon a lot or group of adjoining lots, having common ownership designed for any commercial purpose other than multifamily dwellings. Any building or group of buildings where combined residence and business is practiced, where such business is advertised by a sign of any type on the premises and/or listed in the telephone directory as a business, shall be classified as commercial. Commercial building shall include hotel, motel, tourist courts, rooming houses or any establishment catering to transient residents. E. Premises shall mean the exterior of: A structure, or grounds, or a single, contiguous parcel of real property where utilities are delivered and used. F. Reclaimed water shall mean effluent, other than effluent produced by the City's reverse osmosis plant, which has been treated to achieve a quality suitable for its intended use as prescribed by federal and state regulations. G. Special request recovered water shall mean recovered reclaimed water delivered directly from a recovery well for the exclusive use of a single user. (Ord. No. 669, § 2, 3-11-76; Ord. No. 2206, § I, 1-24-91; Ord. No. 3058, § 2, 11-18-99; Ord. No. 3164, § 1, 8-24-00; Ord. No. 3943, § 1(A), 8-23-07; Ord. No. 5148, § 2(Exh.), 1-22-26)

Chandler City Code § 50-2 Application for utility service; requested discontinuance of service.

50-2. - Application for utility service; requested discontinuance of service. A. All applications for utility service shall be made through the Office of the Management Services Director. The applicant shall furnish the following: name; spouse's name (if applicable); the official street number assigned to the premises or the legal description of the property; previous address; a copy of the lease or rental agreement if applicant is not the property owner may be required and the address of which the monthly statement is to be mailed. The applicant may be required to show picture identification. B. All applicants shall pay a fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) to open an account and are required to give a twenty-four-hour notice to have water service turned on. Where the request requires the service be performed outside normal working hours, weekends or holidays, an additional fee of thirty-five dollars ($35.00) shall be charged. Normal working hours are defined as weekdays between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. C. Customers desiring to discontinue the use of water must give a twenty-four-hour notice thereof through the Office of the Management Services Director, or the charges for utilities will be continued until such notice is given. Any service call on weekends, holidays, or between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. shall pay a fee of thirty-five dollars ($35.00). Customers desiring their water service turned off for the purpose of repairing their plumbing shall pay a fee of thirty-five dollars ($35.00) if the service call is on weekends, holidays or between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. During normal working hours this service will be performed at no charge. (Ord. No. 669, § 2, 3-11-76; Ord. No. 1555, §§ 1, 2, 11-21-85; Ord. No. 1971, § I, 7-14-88; Ord. No. 2206, § I, 1-24-91; Ord. No. 2310, § I, 11-5-92; Ord. No. 3058, § 2, 11-18-99; Ord. No. 3943, § 1(B), 8-23-07; Ord. No. 4465, § 1(A), 8-15-13; Ord. No. 4646, § 2A, 8-16-15; Ord. No. 4752, § 1A, 6-22-17; Ord. No. 5148, § 2(Exh.), 1-22-26)

Chandler City Code § 50-3 Security deposits.

50-3. - Security deposits. A. When satisfactory credit has not been established all utility customers shall place a deposit with the Management Services Director before being furnished utilities in accordance with the following minimums: Single-Family, Duplex and Triplex Residential Customers Account type | Inside City Minimum Deposit | Outside City Minimum Deposit Single Family Residential | $120.00 | $168.00 Duplex | $240.00 | $336.00 Triplex | $360.00 | $504.00 All Other Type-User Customers Account Type | Inside City Minimum Deposit (Per Meter) | Outside City Minimum Deposit (Per Meter) Multi-family | $1,000.00 | $1,400.00 Commercial | $400.00 | $560.00 Industrial | $2,500.00 | $3,500.00 Landscape | $300.00 | $420.00 The Management Services Director may require a security deposit equal to two (2) times the maximum monthly bill during the previous twelve (12) months in lieu of the minimum deposit listed above. B. All residential account customers shall pay a deposit unless they have established a satisfactory payment history with the city or provide a recent (within the last 12 months) satisfactory letter of credit from another utility company. Upon default of payment for utility services by the account owner, the Management Services Director may require the placement of a security deposit, as defined above, before continuation or resumption of City Services. Upon default of payment for utility services by the account owner, the Management Services Director may require the placement of a security deposit as defined above, before continuation or resumption of City Services. C. Deposits which guarantee payment of utility bills shall be noninterest-bearing and shall be refunded to the consumer at the end of a twelve-month period, providing the consumer has not allowed the account to become delinquent during said twelve-month period or upon voluntary disconnection of service. Any charges due at disconnection of service shall be deducted from said security deposit before the refund is made. D. Residential customers receiving refuse collection and/or wastewater service who are without an active water account shall be required to place a security deposit with the Management Services Director equal to two (2) times the current monthly refuse collection bill. This deposit shall be required in addition to the deposit requirements outlined in paragraph A. of this section. (Ord. No. 669, § 2, 3-11-76; Ord. No. 1180, § 1, 4-25-83; Ord. No. 1971, § I, 7-14-88; Ord. No. 2056, § 2, 5-25-89; Ord. No. 2206, § I, 1-24-91; Ord. No. 2310, § I, 11-5-92; Ord. No. 3058, § 2, 11-18-99; Ord. No. 3943, § 1(C), 8-23-07; Ord. No. 4465, § 1(B), 8-15-13; Ord. No. 5148, § 2(Exh.), 1-22-26)

Chandler City Code § 50-4 Customer billing.

50-4. - Customer billing. A. Monthly statements shall be rendered by the Management Services Director to each utility customer, billing periods to normally consist of approximately thirty (30) days. Each statement shall also inform the customer of the consequences of nonpayment and the telephone numbers of appropriate personnel authorized to resolve billing disputes. Each statement shall contain the customer's account number; the reading date; the delinquent date; the present and previous meter reading; the consumption in thousand gallons; the amount of charges for water services; wastewater service; garbage and refuse removal service; new account fee or service call fee, if applicable; previous balance, if any; applicable taxes; and total amount due. B. First and/or final statements rendered for periods of less or more than thirty (30) days shall have the minimum monthly utility charges prorated daily. In addition to the prorated utility charges, the statement shall include a charge for each thousand gallons of water metered during said period plus applicable taxes. C. Statements rendered on properties during the course of construction or development shall be for water only plus applicable taxes; however, the builder or developer shall be responsible for the removal and disposal of all construction debris. Wastewater service charges and garbage and refuse collection charges shall be charged to the builder or developer following final inspection by the building inspection division. D. Should a billing error be found, whether in favor of the City or in favor of the customer, adjustments to prior bills will be allowed for a period of not more than twenty-four (24) months from the date the error was first reported. Refunds to customers or additional charges due from customers will be non-interest bearing. E. Should an error occur in the reading of the meter, whether technical or otherwise, the City will utilize a reasonable method to estimate actual consumption for billing purposes. F. Any property upon which utility services may have been furnished by the City, and which may not for any cause have been assessed for such use on the books of the City, shall be assessed for the use for which it is in arrears. Upon the failure of the payment of these charges, the supply of water shall be turned off, pending settlement. (Ord. No. 669, § 2, 3-11-76; Ord. No. 1971, § I, 7-14-88; Ord. No. 2206, § I, 1-24-91; Ord. No. 3058, § 2, 11-18-99; Ord. No. 4465, § 1(C), 8-15-13; Ord. No. 4752, § 1B, 6-22-17; Ord. No. 5148, § 2(Exh.), 1-22-26)

Chandler City Code § 50-5 Payment of bills.

50-5. - Payment of bills. A. All bills rendered for each billing period are due and payable by the due date printed on the statement. The due date shall be no less than twenty-four (24) calendar days after each billing period. A late fee of two (2) percent will be charged for any outstanding balance showing on the statement (excluding taxes) not paid by the due date. If the total of such bill is not paid by the due date, water service is subject to discontinuance pursuant to Code Section 50-6. B. When water is turned off because of a delinquent bill, or if the consumer necessitates a personal call by a utility services representative, an automated outbound call, or a scheduled disconnect order is generated because of the delinquent status of the account, whether or not service is turned off, a service fee of twenty dollars ($20.00) shall be charged. Water services shall not be continued or resumed until such delinquent bill and service fee has been collected in full. In addition, the delinquent customer may be required to place a new or additional security deposit as defined in section 50-3 above. Acceptable method of payment may be limited to cash, personal check with a valid guarantee card, money order, certified check, cashier's check or traveler's check. C. A customer's water service may be disconnected for nonpayment of a bill for utility service rendered to the customer at a previous location, provided such bill is not paid within twenty-one (21) days after the unpaid bill has been rendered to the customer at the new location. (Ord. No. 669, § 2, 3-11-76; Ord. No. 1180, § 1, 4-25-83; Ord. No. 1971, § I, 7-14-88; Ord. No. 2206, § I, 1-24-91; Ord. No. 2310, § I, 11-5-92; Ord. No. 3058, § 2, 11-18-99; Ord. No. 3164, § 2, 8-24-00; Ord. No. 3861, § 1, 1-11-07; Ord. No. 3943, § 1(D), 8-23-07; Ord. No. 4156, § 1A, 6-25-09; Ord. No. 4465, § 1(D), 8-15-13; Ord. No. 5148, § 2(Exh.), 1-22-26)

Chandler City Code § 50-6 Discontinuance of service.

50-6. - Discontinuance of service. A. Before any discontinuance of water service shall be made, other than specified in subsection B. below, the resident shall receive written notice of the reason for the discontinuance and be advised, also in writing, of the opportunity to contact customer service personnel to present any objections. If service is disconnected and subsequently reconnected, a thirty dollar ($30.00) reconnect fee may be applied to the account for all future occurrences of the account being disconnected for non-payment. B. In the case of unnecessary waste, fraudulent representation on the part of any water customer, or in an emergency, the City reserves the right to turn off water without notice until all charges have been paid in full and/or waste or emergency corrected. (Ord. No. 2206, § I, 1-24-91; Ord. No. 3058, § 2, 11-18-99; Ord. No. 4465, § 1(E), 8-15-13)

Chandler City Code § 50-7 Right to enter premises.

50-7. - Right to enter premises. A. As a condition to receive City water utility services, an authorized City representative may enter upon the premises of any water utility customer at any reasonable time to: (i) inspect water pipes, fixtures, and other related water utility facilities; (ii) measure water usage; (iii) observe the manner of water utility use; and (iv) undertake and exercise all appropriate and necessary action and measures related to the customer's water utility account. B. Upon presentation of official City identification, the customer must provide the City representative with access to the premises to: (i) read water utility meters; (ii) connect or disconnect service; and (iii) inspect, maintain, replace, or operate City-owned water and wastewater system facilities, including, but not limited to, water meters, fire hydrants, water mains, and public sewer lines, as determined necessary by the City. C. If access to the premises is denied, hindered, or otherwise obstructed following presentation of proper identification by an authorized City representative, the City Manager or City Manager's designee may suspend or terminate water utility service to the premises. Written notice of intent to suspend or terminate water utility service will be provided to the property owner or occupant not less than seventy-two (72) hours in advance of the suspension or termination of City water utility services. (Ord. No. 669, § 2, 3-11-76; Ord. No. 2206, § I, 1-24-91; Ord. No. 3058, § 2, 11-18-99; Ord. No. 5148, § 2(Exh.), 1-22-26)

Chandler City Code § 50-8 Unauthorized use.

50-8. - Unauthorized use. A service charge of one hundred dollars ($100.00) plus charges for estimated consumption, according to the applicable consumption rate schedule, will be assessed to any customer for unauthorized use of water services for each occurrence. Unauthorized use shall mean the taking of service by (a) turning the service on without authority, or (b) by connecting directly into service or hydrant without a meter, or (c) willfully modifying the meter or service apparatus so as to cause loss or reduction in consumption registration. Such sum shall be charged against the premises, and the supply of water to such premises shall be withheld until such sum is paid. In addition, charges for damages and/or special services performed will be assessed to the customer. Charges will be based upon materials and/or labor. Such sum shall be charged against the premises, and the supply of water to such premises shall be withheld until such sum is paid. The provisions of this section shall not preclude the assessment of any criminal penalties authorized by this Code. B. Water meter boxes shall be installed and maintained such that the access cover is exposed and not lower than the finished grade. It shall be the responsibility of the consumer to ensure that access by employees of the City to the water meter is not obstructed by landscape materials, vehicles or any other obstruction. In the event the consumer does not allow adequate access to the water meter box, ten (10) business days after proper written notification the City will remove the obstruction and charge a fee on the basis of time and materials. (Ord. No. 2310, § I, 11-5-92; Ord. No. 3058, § 2, 11-18-99; Ord. No. 3943, § 1(E), 8-23-07; Ord. No. 4465, § 1(F), 8-15-13; Ord. No. 5148, § 2(Exh.), 1-22-26)

Source: City of Chandler, Arizona, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/az/chandler/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTVIIIUT_CH50SAUT_ARTIGEPRFetched: 11/1/2026