Norris OKs water/sewer ordinance
Some bill adjustments for excess water and sewer charges caused by underground pipe leaks will be allowed under a new Norris city ordinance approved on final reading by the City Council last week.
Ordinance 664 will allow qualifying customers to pay for the excess water use based on the city’s “bulk rate” of $2.52 per 1,000 gallons – the rate charged to other utilities that buy Norris water for resale.
If they qualify for the reduced water rate and can prove that the excess water volume did not go into the city’s sanitary sewer system, the customers also would be given a break on their sewer bills.
The only leaks that qualify are those caused by breaks in the water line from the water meter to the home’s plumbing system, but not any leaks or excessive water use resulting from “malfunctioning or leaking commodes; busted water hoses; pressure washing; car washing; malfunctioning or leaking faucets; malfunctioning equipment or appliances; water for lawns, gardens, pools, and hot tubs; etc.”
According to the new ordinance, which took effect immediately upon passage, when the city’s Water Department “detects a meter that has an unusually high reading, the department will conduct an investigation within five working days to determine [whether] the meter was misread.”
The Water Department will then notify the customer of a possible leak. The city will first determine whether the meter was misread, but if not, then the customer must file an application for an adjustment.
Customers must provide the city proof that the leak has been permanently repaired. Adjustments would be limited to twice a year, providing all other criteria have been met.
Also, an excessive bill must be at least twice the last six months’ average, the ordinance states.
“When approved, the water portion of the bill will be adjusted to indicate bulk rate usage for any usage beyond the average of the last six months or minimum bill usage, whichever is greater. Bulk rate is determined by the Norris City Council as part of the Water Rate Ordinance.” the ordinance says.
As for sewer charges, which are directly determined by water usage, the customer may apply for additional adjustment only if:
“ … the City Manager or Waterworks Superintendent was able to reasonably determine the excessive water did not discharge into the sanitary sewer system. For the purposes of this determination, it is the burden of the customer to provide sufficient evidence
“The sanitary sewer bill will be adjusted to reflect an amount consistent with the average of the last six months in which no leak was recorded or a minimum bill, whichever is greater.”
Both the City Council and the Norris Water Commission (which has the same five members as the council) have been debating these policy changes for the past several months, mostly because of recent requests by some water/sewer customers for adjustments to their bills.