(a) All fees payable under this chapter shall be due according to the following schedule and shall be payable to the Department of Health:
(1) Annual fees of one thousand dollars ($1,000) and less shall be payable in a single payment due on January 1 of each year;
(2) Annual fees greater than one thousand dollars ($1,000) and less than five thousand dollars ($5,000) shall be payable in quarterly payments, with the payments due on October 1, January 1, April 1, and July 1 of each year; and
(3) Annual fees of five thousand dollars ($5,000) and greater shall be payable in monthly payments, with the first payment due on August 1 of each year. Successive payments shall be due on the first day of each month.
(b) All water systems issuing regular water bills for water service may recover the cost of the fees stated in § 20-28-104 by one (1) of the following methods:
(1) Assessing a direct charge on each bill of not more than forty cents (40¢) per month per service connection; or
(2)
(A) Apportioning the total amount of the annual fee charged to the water system among its customers in any manner that the water system determines to be more equitable.
(B) However, a charge in excess of forty cents (40¢) per month per service shall not be charged for any service through which water is provided to another community public water system.
(c) The charge shall be labeled, “FEE FOR FEDERAL SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT COMPLIANCE”, and shall not be considered as a part of the water rates of the respective water systems. The fee shall be established by the State Board of Health to assure implementation of this chapter.