As used in this chapter, the following words and phrases shall be as set out in this section:

A. City. This term means the city of Columbia Falls, Montana.

B. Consumer or Customer. This term means the individual, partnership, or corporation identified on an approved application as the owner of property served or owner’s representative.

C. Customer Class. The term means the grouping of water users with other users that share a similar usage pattern or usage environment. The city recognizes the following classes for the purpose of assigning a volume rate:

1. Commercial Class. Customers who occupy a premises for the purpose of buying, selling, trading, acquiring, disposing, storing, leasing articles, commodities, or property; or providing a service, craft, amusement, or recreation; or provide assemblage; or provide education of one hundred or less students; or provide lodging accommodations for transient persons.

2. Government Class. Customers that occupy premises that provide governmental services, institutional lodging or education for more than one hundred students.

3. Industrial Class. A customer that consumes at least an average of five hundred thousand gallons per month over any twelve-month period and the highest and lowest demand (measured in gallons per minutes) does not vary by more than ten percent from one-half the sum of the average demand for a thirty-minute interval preceding and succeeding the time of interest.

4. Multi-family Class. Customers that occupy premises where multi-unit dwellings, consisting of three or more units, located on a single property, provide housing for permanent residents.

5. Single Family Class. Customer occupying a premises used as a dwelling for permanent residents consisting of a family or not more than five unrelated persons, where one unit is on a single property.

D. Landlord Agreement. An agreement between the utility and the owner of a property whereas the owner allows the utility to establish an account in the name of the renter while retaining responsibility for unpaid charges.

E. Payment Agreement. This term means a written agreement, on city form, that prescribes the schedule of payment for past due amounts.

F. Plant Investment Fee. An amount charged to offset the cost of restoring system capacity that is reduced with usage from each additional connection.

G. Plumbing Inspector. This term means a person designated by the city to inspect plumbing.

H. Rate-Rate Schedule. These terms mean water rates or fees set forth under the rate schedule adopted by the city council by resolution.

I. Regular Service Line-General Service Line. These terms refer to a service line or portion thereof, that is constructed to provide water for uses other than temporary service or fire service.

J. Service Charge-Base Service Charge. An amount charged per connection based on the diameter size of service connection.

K. Service Line. This term means every part of the piping and appurtenances from the water main to the customer’s side of the meter, including the corporation stop, curb stop, meter, meter isolation valves, check valve and connecting piping between these components.

L. Superintendent-Water Superintendent. These terms mean the person appointed by the city as the head of the water department.

M. Temporary Service. A temporary service means any service of water to a consumer for a period of time less than six months and likely not recurring.

N. Utility. This term means the city water department.

O. Volume Charge. The charge for volume of water delivered to the property served determined by meter reading or estimate based on an average of known volume usage. (Ord. 653 § 1(part), 2004)