New York Codes, Rules and Regulations › Title 21 - Miscellaneous › Chapter LXXXIII - Buffalo Water Board › Part 10085 - Buffalo Water Board Regulations › Section 10085.12 - Water rates, bills and payment

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 28, July 10, 2024
(a)
				Rates to be sufficient. Water rates of the water board shall be fixed at all
				times so as to produce a revenue sufficient, after the payment of direct and
				indirect expenses of maintenance and operation, to pay the principal and
				interest maturities of the bonds issued for the water system and to enable the
				water board and water system to be placed on a self-sustaining basis at all
				times in accordance with the Water Board Act.
(b) Payment invoice and due date. All
				premises, owners, users and other persons that receive services from the water
				board shall be liable and shall pay to the water board the rates and charges
				set forth in the board schedule of rates. Unless otherwise provided in these
				regulations, or in the board schedule of rates, or on an invoice issued by the
				board, all water board rates and charges for consumption of water or other
				services shall be due and payable, one month following the month of the invoice
				billing date. Such invoice may be billed monthly, quarterly or as otherwise
				determined by the water board. This due date will be set forth as the "due
				date" on the invoice statement issued by the water board for such rates and
				charges. The invoice shall be payable to the water board, care of the Buffalo
				Commissioner of Administration and Finance or such other payment agent as may
				be set forth on such invoice, at the office of the City of Buffalo Treasury,
				Room 117, City Hall, Buffalo, NY 14202, or such other location or address as
				may be provided on such invoice. Invoice statements shall be mailed or
				delivered to the address of the owner or user, as the case may be, as such
				address appears on the water board's records. Such mailing or delivery is a
				matter of convenience. Failure of an owner or user to receive an invoice
				statement shall not release such owner or user from the obligation to pay such
				invoice statement, together with any other charges and interest which may
				accrue on unpaid amounts.
(c)
				Method of payment. All invoices shall be paid in United States dollars, and may
				be paid by cash, check or MasterCard and Visa at Room 117, City Hall, Buffalo,
				NY, such other location or address as may be provided on such invoice, or by
				telephone as set forth on the invoice. All persons who pay by such charge cards
				shall pay the water board a fee set forth in the board schedule of rates, for
				each credit card payment transaction to defray the cost of such credit
				transaction.
(d) Late fees. All
				invoices issued by the water board that remain unpaid after the due date shall
				be charged interest, and such interest shall continue to be charged until such
				water board rates and charges are paid in full, at the same rate as unpaid city
				taxes, to wit: 4.5 percent interest shall be added to amounts unpaid from the
				first through the thirtieth day after the due date, and 1.5 percent shall be
				added to all amounts that remain unpaid for each succeeding month
				thereafter.
(e) Non-sufficient
				funds and returned checks. All persons who present checks that are returned for
				non-sufficient funds shall be liable and shall pay a charge to the water board
				that is equal to the amount the bank charges the water board for handling such
				check.
(f) Fees for collection of
				delinquent accounts. All persons shall be subject to paying reasonable costs
				and expenses, including attorney fees, incurred in the collection of water
				board rates and charges that remain unpaid, as may be determined by the water
				board, in addition to any other remedy or provision hereof, the water board
				reserves the right to engage in such collection activities, as it deems
				appropriate, for all accounts that remain unpaid after the due date, in
				consideration of such collection activities and to defray the cost thereof, all
				persons with delinquent accounts shall be liable and shall pay an additional
				charge of 21 percent of the amount of each such delinquent account, together
				with interest as provided herein, that remains unpaid for more than:
(1) 120 days from the due date for metered
				accounts; and
(2) 210 days from the
				due date for non-metered flat rate accounts. In the event the water board
				refers any delinquent account to a collection agency, the user shall pay the
				actual amount such collection agency charges the water board, in lieu of such
				21 percent surcharge.