(1) Delinquency Notice. Whenever a utility bill for services rendered to a customer of the Silver Lake Water and Sewer District shall be unpaid for more than 20 days (date of delinquency), the district may cause a notice to be mailed to the billing address for which such service is being rendered in the name of the person who appears thereon as a customer according to the records of the Silver Lake Water and Sewer District.

(2) Service Termination Notice. Approximately 40 days after the date of delinquency, a service termination notice shall be sent to the customer with copies to the owner and service address, if different from the customer. Whenever any amount becomes delinquent, all other charges, whether delinquent or not, become due and payable together with the delinquent amount. The notice shall specify the total amount which is due and the date the total amount must be paid, hereinafter referred to as “required payment date,” which is approximately 20 days from the date of the notice. The total amount must be paid in cash or by check and received at the district office by the date specified in the notice to avoid service termination and collection, shut-off, lock-off or other related charges. The “required payment date” and the “required payment amount” shall be specified on each notice.

(3) Appeal Hearing. In the event the customer believes there is an error in the billing or disputes the amount due, the customer shall be entitled to a hearing before the general manager of the district, prior to termination of service; provided, that a written request for such hearing is received by the general manager no later than the close of business on the day before the “required payment date.” At such hearing, the customer shall have the opportunity to present argument and evidence in support of his/her claim of error or irregularities. At the hearing, the general manager shall afford the customer reasonable opportunity to present evidence and argument in support of the customer’s claim of error or irregularity with respect to the bill. After giving careful consideration to any evidence and argument presented, the general manager shall make any adjustment in the bill the general manager believes fair and equitable. The decision of the general manager in this regard shall be in writing and shall be final and conclusive.

(4) Pending determination of the general manager, the water will not be shut off for nonpayment of the total amount due. However, if the charges as determined by the general manager are not paid by the customer within 10 days from the mailing of the notice of determination by the general manager, the water to the premises will be shut off or locked off.

(5) Lien and Foreclosure. The policy concerning liening and foreclosure of delinquent accounts shall be as follows: whenever the utility charges for an account, penalty charges, termination charges, or any other charges are delinquent for over 30 days, the district may file a certificate of delinquency with the Snohomish County treasurer. The certificate establishes the lien against the property upon which the service was received and, together with a penalty of 10 percent and an interest charge of eight percent per annum, will be assessed against the total amount delinquent on that account, commencing the date of certification of the lien to the county treasurer, to be assessed until the total amount is paid in full.

Action may be taken by the commissioners to enforce collection of the total amount at any time after said charges have been delinquent for a period of 60 days, pursuant to RCW 56.16.110 and 57.08.090. The district is authorized to foreclose by civil action in the superior court of the county in which the real property is located, and to request attorney’s fees in such amount as the court may adjudge reasonable. The action shall be in rem against the property and, in addition, may be brought in the name of the district against an individual, or against all of those who are delinquent in one action, and the laws and rules of the court shall control as in other civil actions. Each account which has been submitted to the district’s attorneys for foreclosure shall be charged $110.00 in addition to all other charges.

(6) Release of Lien. The lien filed with the Snohomish County treasurer shall not be released until the total amount, including penalty charges, interest, reinstallation fees and any other charges, is paid in full.

(7) Combined Bills. Generally, for users receiving more than one utility service, there shall be a combined bill.

(8) Application of Cash Received. Receipts shall be credited to the oldest sewer balances first, then to the oldest water balances. Cash received on combined billings shall be applied in the following priority to outstanding account balances; past-due sewer service charges, past-due water service charges, current sewer service charges, taxes, service charges and current water service charges. [Res. 406 §§ 1 – 8, 1987; Res. 115, 1962.]