By Michael S. Hoey
Correspondent
The Delavan Common Council recently approved a new policy that will allow residents to apply for a credit to their sewer bill for one-time leaks or other unintended water usages that do not result in a discharge of water into the sanitary sewer system. The policy is based on a similar policy used by the City of Algoma.
Mayor Ryan Schroeder said during the May 18 council meeting the city has never had a procedure in place for unique circumstances like a water leak that costs residents money even though the water never entered the sewer system. He said this policy was one of the last things former administrator Denise Pieroni worked on before retiring, and new City Administrator Brian Wilson and city staff finished.
“It is a better tool than we have had in the past for the citizens,” Schroeder said.
In a memo to the council, Director of Public Works Mark Wendorf said unintended water uses could include leaks from water pipe breaks or appliance failures that develop inside a building or from an outside faucet. A reasonable determination as to what portion of the water did not enter the sanitary sewer system would need to be made followed by an adjustment to the next water bill.
The credit would be for the sewer charges, not the water itself. The resident would still pay for the water. The city is not being charged the Walworth County Metropolitan Sewerage District volume charge for water that never enters its system.
There is a $25 administrative fee due with the application for the sewer credit and residents must file an application within 30 days of the date of the utility bill. Customers are only eligible for one credit per calendar year and must have at least 12 months of billing history under their account to qualify.
Customers will be eligible for a sewer credit of 50 percent of the difference between the sewer bill and the average of the previous 12 months’ bills. Customers can initiate the credit process by contacting the city’s Utility Billing Clerk and completing an application.
For more coverage from the meeting, pick up a copy of the June 3 Delavan Enterprise.
