.
(a) Any applicant desiring service from the county shall file a signed
application therefore with the county on the prescribed form. The written application shall
serve as a contract with the county in which the applicant agrees to pay for all service
and to observe, comply with, and be bound by all ordinances, rules, regulations, terms and
conditions prescribed for and related to the use of the public water system.
(b) No new or reinstated service shall be supplied to any applicant
until payment of a cash deposit equal to the estimated charge for one bimonthly billing
period. The deposit shall be held by the county until such applicant ceases to be served
by the system at which time any portion of such deposit due shall be returned without
interest to the applicant by whom it was made, provided that all unpaid charges and fees
shall be deducted from the amount of the deposit. If the deposit is not sufficient to pay
all charges and fees due, the remaining balance shall be subject to normal collection
procedures of the county. A deposit shall not be required for single-family dwelling units
except in the case of rental units which are master metered as one connection.