For the purpose of this article, the following words and terms shall the meanings respectively ascribed:

     Billing period. The utility usage period of thirty (30) days, except for initial or final bills.

     Customer. A purchaser of utility service.

     Cycle billing. A system employed which results in the rendition of bills for utility service to various customers on different days of any calendar month.

     Delinquent account. A bill remaining unpaid by a customer at least twenty (20) days from rendition of the bill by the department.

     Department. A department of finance for the city.

     Director. The director of the department of finance for the city.

     Discontinuance of service. A cessation of utility service to a customer not directly requesting termination.

     Estimated bill. A bill for utility services calculated using one or more estimated meter readings for the billing period.

     Fuel adjustment clause. The automatic adjustment procedure which recognizes variations in the cost of fuel for electric generation or purchased power.

     In dispute. Any matter regarding a customer's utility service which is the subject of a pending disagreement, or complaint by the customer.

     Non-Summer.  The period from October 1 through May 31.

     Rendition of bill by the city. The actual date on which the bill was mailed by the city.

     Residential service or use. The use of electricity and/or water for household purposes and/or the provision of sewer and/or refuse services.

     Settlement agreement. An agreement between a customer and the city purporting to resolve any matter in dispute between the parties, or which provides for the payment of monies not in dispute over a reasonable period of time.

     Summer.  The period from June 1 through September 30 of each year.

     Summer Surcharge.  An amount calculated, for summer water rates by averaging the daily use during the billing period and then excluding from the surcharge calculation all days not falling within the summer as defined above and applying the surcharge rate to the average daily water use amount during the remaining days which exceeds 120% of the customers average monthly use during the months of January, February and March after that monthly average has been reduced to a daily average for use in the surcharge calculation for the current billing period.

     Termination of service. A cessation of utility service request by the customer.

     Utility services. Water, electric, sewage or refuse collection service, or any combination thereof.

(Code 1964, § 15.800; Ord. No. 15619, § 1, 5-18-98; Ord. No. 16185, § 1, 9-20-99)

     Cross reference(s)--Definitions and rules of construction generally, § 1-2.