Billing Policies

The Agency bills for water service on a monthly basis. Normally meters are read during the last week of each month to determine the quantity of water delivered through the meter since the date of the previous meter reading. The bill for that month of service is based on recorded deliveries since the date of the previous meter reading.

Bill forms for water service are printed in blue ink, are sent by mail to the billing address indicated on the application for service, and are due and payable on the date billed. If not paid within 21 days after the date indicated on the bill, they become delinquent.

The next monthly bill will indicate a delinquent amount which remains unpaid from the previous month’s bill, in addition to the amount due for water service since then. The bill will provide notice that if the delinquent amount is not paid within 19 days the meter will be locked in the “off” position and will not be unlocked until the total amount due on the account is paid in addition to a non-refundable, non-waivable fee currently in the amount of $50 to cover the Agency’s actual costs incurred for locking and unlocking the meter.

In addition to the 19 day notice of a lock-off for non-payment of the delinquent amount, set forth in the billing statement, the Agency will also mail a notice which is printed in red ink to the billing address shown on the application for service, and to the owner of the premises if located at a different address, during the first week of the next subsequent month. The red notice will indicate the total amount due on the account and the date by which the delinquent amount must be paid in order to avoid a lock-off. Failure to receive notice does not relieve the customer of the obligation to pay a delinquent amount.

The Agency will accept payment of a delinquent amount in cash or by personal check if tendered prior to the final date for payment. If the customer waits until the lock-off date to pay, or pays after the lock-off date, payment must be in the form of cash, a cashier’s check, or a money order. Payment in any other form will not be accepted, nor will the $50 charge for locking and unlocking the meter be waived or reduced for any reason.

Payment must be received by 4:00 p.m. during a business day for same day resumption of service. The Agency will not accept payment after regular business hours or on weekends or holidays. If payment is mailed, the date of payment will be the date of receipt by the Agency, not the date of postmark.

When performing the monthly meter readings, if the Agency notices unusually high consumption at a given meter, the Agency will read that meter again to confirm that the information indicated on the meter was recorded accurately. If it was, the Agency will send a courtesy memo to the billing address of the party responsible for payment to advise the customer of unusually high consumption. If the customer determines that the unusually high consumption is due to an event that may be covered by the customer’s property insurance policy (such as a broken toilet or on-site plumbing), the Agency urges the customer to file a claim with the insurance carrier seeking reimbursement for the unusually high water bill resulting from the insured event.

If such a claim to the insurance carrier is denied, and if the unusually high water bill results from circumstances beyond the control of the occupant of the premises, the Agency’s Board of Directors in its discretion may consider a reduction in the amount of the bill if requested in writing by the owner of the premises. Such a request must be in writing, must explain the circumstances justifying reduction in the bill, and must be signed by the property owner in order to be considered, a copy of the insurance denial must also be included.

If the Agency’s Board of Directors reduces the amount of the bill, it will grant no more than one such reduction so long as the premises continue to be owned by the same owner. The relief will be conditional upon the installation of a shut-off valve outside and immediately adjacent to the meter in a separate enclosure on the customer’s side of the meter and also conditional upon the customer remaining current in the payment of the Agency’s bills for continued water service. In the event that either condition is not satisfied, the Board’s action to reduce the amount of the bill will automatically become null and void, and the reduction will be forfeited.

The monthly minimum charge does continue whether or not water is used. Any water charges not paid by the previous owner remain with the property, and can become a lien against the property if unpaid.

Questions regarding the Agency’s billing procedures should be submitted in writing to the Agency at the address indicated on the home page.