HomeMy WebLinkAboutITEM IV-BInteroffice Memorandum
WASHINGTON
To: Public Works Committee
From: Shelley Coleman
CC:
Date: May 16, 2011
Re: Utility Service Water Leak Adjustment - Sewer Portion
The Utility Service Water Leak Adjustment policy 100-52 currently allows for adjustment of the City and
Metro sewer portion of the disputed billing when the leak occurred in the service line between the city water
meter and the point where the line enters the building. The issue is when the break occurs elsewhere and
the water does not go down the sewer and the adjustment in total is denied because it did not occur in the
service line. Customers are challenging the sewer portion of the billing where the water did not go down the
sewer.
The concern is that when the leak occurs elsewhere, the proof that the water did not go down the sewer is
most of the time limited to an inspection by a City water technician who inspects that the leak has been
repaired and appears to have occurred where the client indicates it was repaired. The repairs are generally
complete and not visible to the technician who determines, via the meter dial, that the leak is repaired but
cannot confirm the leak occurred where the customers said it happened.
I would like to suggest that when the leak does not occur in the service line and the City water technician
can determine that there was a leak, the leak was repaired and that the water did not go down the sewer
that we adjust the City and Metro sewer portion of the billing.
See attached Administrative Policy and Procedure 100-52. Suggested revision is section 4.3.1
Attachment
AUBURN * MORE THAN YOU IMAGINED
ADMINISTRATIVE
POLICY AND PROCEDURE
TITLE:
SUBJECT: UTILITY BILLING & COLLECTION
UTILITY SERVICE WATER LEAK
ADJUSTMENT
INDEX NUMBER: 100-52
EFFECTIVE DATE
SUPERSEDES
PAGE
PREPARED BY:
MAYOR'S APPROVAL
10/09/09
02/17/07
1 OF 2
SHELLEY COLEMAN
1.0 PURPOSE
To provide a procedure for approval, calculation and adjustment of water and sewer charges
(Single Family & Non-single family account classifications) where excessive water consumption
can be attributed to a water leak. For this purpose, a water leak is defined to occur on the
service line between the City water meter and the point where the line enters the building.
2.0 ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTED
3.0 REFERENCES
4.0 POLICY
4.1 Customer must request adjustment in writing by completing a request form located at the
Finance Department in City Hall or the City website. Required information shall include:
a. Name, service address where leak occurred and account number
b. Description of leak and date repaired
c. Copy of repair bill or materials receipts
d. Signature of customer
4.2 Upon receipt of the completed request form, a representative of the City Water Division
will confirm, through visual check of the City meter for flow and pressure, that the leak has
been repaired.
4.3 Following confirmation of repair, Finance personnel will adjust no more than two (2) billing
cycles (4 months) if billed bi-monthly or 3 billing cycles if billed monthly. Single-family
account types will have water only adjusted. Non-single family account types, where the
customer's sewer bill may be based on the water consumption, will be allowed an
adjustment to the water, City sewer and Metro sewer charge, provided it can be
confirmed to the satisfaction of the Utility Accounting Supervisor that the additional water
volume was due to the leak and did not enter the sanitary sewer system.
4.3.1 A sewer adjustment may be granted for non-single family account types where
the customer's sewer bill is based on the water consumption and the leak is
determined NOT to have occurred on the service line. An adjustment to the City
sewer and Metro sewer charges will be considered provided that the Water
technician can confirm that the additional water volume was due to the leak and
did not enter the sanitary sewer system. Following confirmation of repair,
TITLE:
INDEX NO:
ADMINISTRATIVE
UTIITY SERVICE WATER
PAGE
POLICY AND PROCEDURE
LEAK ADJUSTMENT
100-52
2 of 2
Finance personnel will adjust no more than two (2) billing cycles (4 months) if
billed bi-monthly or 3 billing cycles if billed monthly.
4.4 The consumption used to determine the leak adjustment amount will be the actual
consumption from the same bill cycle of the previous year.
4.4.1 For new owners or renters occupying the residence for less than one year, the
consumption used to determine the leak adjustment amount will be one of the following:
i. An average of the water consumption in the three-complete billing
cycles immediately proceeding the bill cycle in which the leak began.
ii. In the absence of three complete billing cycles, the water consumption
from the previous occupants for the same billing cycle in the previous
year.
iii. If neither of the above is applicable, the system average for the
applicable customer classification will be used.
4.5 One leak adjustment per 12-month period per account will be authorized. If an additional
adjustment request is submitted for an account in the next or following year(s), the Utility
Accounting Manager will consult with the Water Utility Engineer to determine if the City
will require the customer to complete extensive repairs to the service line and/or fixtures.
4.6 Customers will be eligible for a leak adjustment if the total dollar amount of the adjustment
for both water and sewer is greater than $50.00 (or $25.00 for a water only account), not
to exceed a credit of $500.00 for water only adjustments.
4.7 Leak adjustments shall have the following required approvals:
a) $1,000 or less - Utility Accounting Manager
b) Greater than $1,000 and less that $10,000 - Finance Director
c) Greater than $10,000 -Mayor
4.8 If the customer disputes the decision made by the City in which the disputed amount
exceeds $500.00, he or she may submit a written request to the City of Auburn Finance
Director for an administrative review of the adjustment by the City Council Public Works
Committee. Additional leak adjustments will be considered by the Public Works
Committee up to 50% of the remaining water portion over $500. Recommendations for
leak adjustments made by Public Works Committee will be submitted to the full City
Council for final consideration and approval. Such request should identify the property,
describe the leak and repair, and state the basis for the request for an administrative
review. The Finance Director must receive the written request for administrative review
within 15 days from the date the City posted the adjustment to the account. Pending the
decision on this review, the customer who requests such review must continue to pay the
disputed charge as billed until the written decision of the Finance Director is provided. A
decision of such an administrative review will be provided within 30 days of receipt of the
written request for administrative review. Upon the written decision of the Finance
Director, if an account has been incorrectly charged, the account will be adjusted
accordingly to cover all billings occurring during the administrative review and all billings
TITLE:
INDEX NO:
ADMINISTRATIVE
UTIITY SERVICE WATER
PAGE
POLICY AND PROCEDURE
LEAK ADJUSTMENT
100-52
2 of 2
that preceded the date of receipt of the written request for review, in accordance with City
policy.