(1) The applicable inspection fee shall be paid by check or money order payable to the department of ecology and mailed to the following address:

Department of Ecology

Cashiering Unit

P.O. Box 47611

Olympia, Washington 98504-7611.

(2) In the event a check is returned due to insufficient funds, the department shall consider the inspection fee to be unpaid.

(3) Delinquent accounts. Dam owners are considered delinquent in the payment of fees if the fees are not received by the first invoice billing due date. Delinquent accounts will be processed in the following manner:

(a) Municipal and government entities shall be notified by certified mail that they have one hundred eighty days to bring the delinquent account up-to-date. Regulatory orders may be issued to enforce a restriction of reservoir filling until all delinquent fees are paid on accounts that remain delinquent after ninety days.

(b) Nonmunicipal or nongovernment dam owners shall be notified by the department by certified mail that they have one hundred eighty days to bring the delinquent account up-to-date. Accounts that remain delinquent after one hundred eighty days may be turned over for collection. In addition, a surcharge totaling twenty percent of the delinquent amount owed will also be added. The surcharge is to recover the costs for collection. If the collection agency fails to recover the delinquent fees after twelve months, the department may issue regulatory orders to enforce restriction of reservoir filling until all delinquent fees are paid.