Current through September 18, 2024
A. Filing of Rate
Schedules. All rates, tolls and charges by a water utility shall be filed,
posted, and available for public inspection in accordance with the provisions
of R.I. Gen. Laws §
39-3-10. In addition, each water
utility shall post this information on its website.
B. Information to Customers
1. Each water utility shall, upon request,
provide its customers with such information and reasonable assistance as will
help them to select the best use of service at the most advantageous rate.
However, the ultimate responsibility for the selection of the best use of
service at the most advantageous rate will rest with the customer.
2. Each water utility shall, upon request,
explain to its customers the method of reading meters and calculating the
bill.
C.
Deposits/Interest. A water utility, to protect against loss, may require a
deposit before rendering service to any customer. This deposit shall not be
more than the highest actual billing period's usage of a prior customer or the
highest estimated billing period of the new customer if a prior customer does
not exist. Interest shall be paid on deposits in accordance with applicable
approved rate schedules or the terms and conditions of the water utility.
Deposits plus accrued interest thereon, less any amount due the water utility,
will be refunded upon termination of service. The water utility may return a
deposit prior to the termination. A customer may request a return of deposit
prior to the termination of service if the customer has established a good
payment history and the water utility agrees to the return of deposit. When an
account is terminated, and a deposit or portion thereof is applied against an
account that has been terminated, interest shall cease to accrue on the balance
at the date of termination.
D.
Measurement of Service. All water sold by a water utility shall be upon the
basis of metered volume sales and/or a fixed rate.
E. Liability for Water Charges Including Past
Due Charges
1. Liability for Water Charges
Generally. The customer of a water utility shall be liable for the payment of
the tariffed rates fixed by the water utility for the use of water furnished by
that water utility to the customer along with any applicable taxes and
fees.
2. Liens on Property For
Water Charges. If authorized by statute for a water utility (e.g., R.I. Gen.
Laws §
39-15-12), the rates assessed
against a customer for the water delivered to the customer for consumption may
constitute a lien on the property to which the water was delivered. The lien
shall arise and attach as provided by the laws applicable to that specific
water utility.
3. Assessments or
Adjustments of Past-Due Charges. If any water utility becomes aware that one of
its customers has received water for use from that water utility but has either
not been billed for the use of that water, or has been for any other reason
improperly charged, the water utility shall calculate the appropriate charges
for the period in question and present those charges to the customer. These
charges shall be in addition to any charges accruing for current use of the
water by the customer. However, the water utility shall not be allowed to
collect new or corrected charges for past use that are made more than three (3)
years from the date on which the bill for those charges for use should have
been properly presented to the customer.
F. Meter Readings and Bill Forms
1. Each meter register shall indicate clearly
the volume units registered and size of the meter.
2. All meters will be read at regular
intervals (but no fewer than two actual reads each year) and on approximately
the corresponding day of each meter reading period. In service areas that do
not utilize AMR devices (or ARB or other electronic remote reading technology),
the water utility must verify meter reads phoned or mailed in by the customer
at least once every six (6) months. Bills based on estimated reads shall not
exceed six (6) consecutive months on any residential, commercial or industrial
account.
3. Each water utility
shall keep an accurate account of all charges for service billed each customer
and shall maintain records for ten (10) years showing information from which
each bill rendered may be readily computed.
4. Bills shall be rendered at regular
intervals and shall show:
a. the date of the
current meter reading;
b. the
meter reading (the amount or quantity of service for the billing period);
c. the type of meter reading
(i.e., actual or estimated);
d.
the billing period;
e. a list of
itemized charges; and
f.
consumption history (the amount or quantity of service in the past four billing
periods). Provided, however, for any water utility presently unable to satisfy
§§
1.3(F)(4)(c) and (f) of this Part above, due to billing software
limitations, that water utility shall have until January 1, 2010 to satisfy
these requirements.
5.
The billing date and the postmark date on the bill shall not vary by more than
ten (10) business days.
G. Complaints of Customers. Each water
utility shall make a full and prompt investigation of customer complaints made
either directly to the water utility or through the Division. A record of all
complaints received shall be kept for at least two years. This record shall
show the name and address of the complainant, the date and character of the
complaint, and the disposition made thereof.
H. Termination of Service
1. By customer. A customer must give at least
five (5) business days notice of his/her intention to terminate service, and
shall be responsible for all charges until expiration of such notice period but
shall not be responsible for any charges thereafter unless service is
reestablished by the customer.
2.
By water utility.
a. For non-payment of bills
- In accordance with the applicable terms and conditions of service, a water
utility may require that bills be paid within a specified time after
presentation. Thirty (30) days from the date the bill is rendered, service may
be terminated for the non-payment of bills, provided the customer has been
given written notice at least ten (10) days prior to the date of termination.
In lieu of termination or upon restoration the water utility may require
payments at less than normal billing intervals. All terminations of water
service for nonpayment of bills shall be done in accordance with the Rhode
Island Public Utility Commission's rules governing the termination of services
for non-payment.
b. For violation
of terms and conditions of service- No water utility shall terminate service to
a customer for violation of any term or condition of service without written
notice of at least ten (10) days, advising the customer specifically as to
which term or condition of service has been violated and precisely how it was
violated, except that service may be terminated immediately when the violation
of the term or condition of service is such as to endanger life or
property.
c. For theft of water
service - A water utility may terminate service without notice whenever a theft
of the service by the customer is detected.
d. For lack of meter accessibility - A water
utility may terminate service with written notice, of at least ten (10) days
prior to termination, advising the customer of the water utility's inability to
access the customer's premises for purposes of reading, installing, repairing,
or replacing the water meters and/or meter reading devices. The customer shall
be responsible for providing accessibility to the above meter and
equipment.
e. Charge for restoring
services - If service is terminated under paragraphs §§
1.3(H)(2)(a),
(b), (c) or (d) of this Part, above, the water utility may make a reasonable
charge for restoring the service, provided such charge is specified in the
water utility's approved tariff.
