§ 18-33. Adjusting utility charges.

(a)

When unseen leaks in water lines that the consumer is responsible for maintaining cause excessive amounts of water that the consumer does not use to pass through the meter and the consumer repairs the leaks within 30 days after he first learns of the excessive water flow, the director shall reduce the consumer's water charge by 50 percent of the water volume that exceeds the consumer's average consumption for his three previous bills.

(b)

When excessive water flow results from leaks in a portion of the water system that the director is responsible for maintaining, the consumer's consumption shall be reduced to the amount of the average of the three previous bills for the property.

(c)

If the three previous bills that are used to establish bill and consumption averages do not represent the consumer's actual consumption because the consumer has had unusual seasonal use during the previous three billing periods for irrigating or filling swimming pools, the director may select another method that more accurately reflects the consumer's normal water consumption for determining the amount of the adjustment.

(d)

When the excessive consumption was due to plumbing leaks in toilets, inside faucets, dishwashers, ice makers and washing machines and the consumer repairs the leak within 30 days after he first learns of the excessive water flow, an adjustment shall be based on 50 percent of the billed consumption for water (and wastewater if appropriate), that exceeds the consumer's average consumption for his three previous bills. The consumer shall only be allowed one adjustment in any 18-month period.

(e)

The director may adjust a single family residential consumer's utility charges when a consumer's billed consumption in a billing period is more than two times the consumer's average consumption for his three previous bills, if the director determines after an investigation by the director and the consumer that the increased consumption is unexplainable or due to documented vandalism and, therefore, not related to actual consumption. Such an adjustment shall be based on 50 percent of the billed consumption for water (and wastewater if appropriate) that exceeds the consumer's average consumption for his three previous bills, and shall only be given to a consumer once every three years.

(f)

If the consumer establishes that excessive water flow resulted from a leak or act of vandalism that did not affect his wastewater use, the director shall reduce the wastewater consumption to the amount of the average of the three previous bills.

(g)

The director shall only adjust the bill that immediately preceded the consumer's inquiry and the unbilled consumption that occurred after that bill was sent, but before the leak was repaired.

(Code 1978, § 20-9; Ord. of 7-23-97, § 1; Ord. of 2-9-00, § 1)

(Code 1978, § 20-9; Ord. of 7-23-97, § 1; Ord. of 2-9-00, § 1)