Utility Fact Sheet


SECURITY DEPOSITS:
Each customer is required to make a deposit for each meter of service. The deposit for residential water is $100 and residential electricity is $200. Commercial water deposits are $100 and commercial electric deposits are $250. A utility deposit is required before service is connected. When leaving the City of La Plata, deposits will be returned after payment of all bills and charges to the City have been made.

BILLING PROCEDURES:
Meters are read around the 10th to 15th of every month. Unless weather conditions prevent it, meter are always read. Should conditions prevent accurate readings, meters are estimated using an average of usage for the previous six (6) months. Bills are mailed on the first working day of the month. A 10% penalty is charged on any balance after the 20th of the month and service is disconnected at 1 p.m. on the last working day of the month if payment in full isn't received by noon. Payments may be mailed, brought to City Hall between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday thru Friday, or deposited in the drop box located on the east side of the building after hours and on weekends. When the 20th is on a holiday or weekend, payment must have been made in person at City Hall on or before the 20th or deposited in the drop box before it is emptied on the morning of the 21st. All payments placed in the drop box after that time are considered delinquent and the penalty amount will be applied!

WATER LEAK ADJUSTMENTS:
The City Ordinances provide for a water leak adjustment to be given each customer. Each customer is allowed one (1) adjustment every five (5) years.

MEDICAL EMERGENCIES:
Should any member of your family have a medical problem that would cause a medical emergency if utility service has to be curtailed for any reason, you must notify City Hall at the time you sign up for service. This information must be listed on the application form and a physician's statement must be provided to City Hall to validate the information.

CUSTOMER ABSENCE:
For customers who are gone for extended periods of time, a service is supplied for which utilities are turned off temporarily and a reconnect fee of $10 is charged upon reconnection.

METER ACCESSIBILITY:
NO electric or water meter may be enclosed within a porch, fence, or pen of any kind. Meters must be accessible at all times to city employees.

DOG REGULATIONS:
NO dog may be tied or penned around a water or electric meter. Meters must be accessible to city employees at all times. In accordance with City Code 205.030, all dogs within the City of La Plata, Missouri, are to be kept from running at large at all times. City Code 205.040 regulates dogs proven vicious as to certain rules and regulations. This and all ordinances may be seen upon request in the office of the City Clerk.

DISCONNECTION & RECONNECTION OF SERVICE:
The City of La Plata may disconnect utility service to a customer for one or more of the following reasons:
(a) Nonpayment of a delinquent account.
(b) The return of a check by a financial institution, which was given for payment of a utility bill.
(c) Failure to post a security deposit.
(d) Unauthorized interference, diversion, or use of the utility service situated or delivered on or about the customer's premises.
(e) Failure to comply with the terms and conditions of a settlement agreement.
(f) Refusal to grant access at reasonable times to equipment installed upon the premises of the customer for the purpose of inspection, meter reading, maintenance, or replacement.
(g) Misrepresentation of identify for the purpose of obtaining utility service.
(h) Violation of any other rules of the utility on file, which adversely affect the safety of the customer or other persons or the integrity of the utilities delivery system.

CONDITIONS OF RECONNECTION:
Upon the customer's request, the City of La Plata shall restore service promptly when the cause of disconnection of service has been eliminated and applicable restoration charges have been paid. At all times, a reasonable effort will be made to restore service upon the day restoration is equested, and in any event, restoration will be made no later than the next working day following the day requested by the customer. A $25, per utility, reconnect fee is charged during business hours, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday thru Friday, except holidays. After working hours and on holidays, a charge for utility worker's call out fee (1 1/2 x hourly salary at 2 hour minimum) will be assessed in addition to the regular reconnect fee.

UTILITY CALL POLICY:
A fee of $20 plus utility worker's call out fee will be assessed the customer for each after hours call out, if it is the customer's problem. Utility working hours are from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

RETURNED CHECKS:
A fee of $25 will be charged for all returned checks. Any check which is returned to the City of La Plata after the monthly shut off date will be considered as a lack of payment and utility service will be disconnected immediately. In order to have service reconnected, the customer will have to pay the returned check fee as well as the reconnect charges by cash, money order, or cashier's check. The City of La Plata reserves the right to require all future payments due to them in the form of cash, money order, or cashier's check once a returned check has been received.

TRASH PICKUP:
Trash pickup is available for both residential and commercial customers. Trash is to be set next to the curb and must be bagged, boxed, or tied in bundles. No dirt, cement, batteries, used oil, tires, building materials, yard waste, or barrels will be dumped. No appliances may be dumped. There are two bulk pickups held each year -- one in the Spring and one in the Fall. Specific dates for the bulk pickups will be posted at City Hall, published in the local newspaper, and noted on the utility bills. At this time, the refuse company will take anything that two (2) men can carry. The refuse company also offers several sizes of dumpsters which can be service either once or twice a week. Please contact our office about dumpster prices if you are interested. Trash is picked up each Monday unless otherwise posted due to holidays. All trash must be out by 7 a.m. in order for pickup to be guaranteed.