Chapter 13.28
REDUCTION IN UTILITY BILLINGS DUE TO LEAKS
Sections:
13.28.020 Procedure to reduce utility billings.
13.28.030 City responsibility.
13.28.040 Appeals to city council.
13.28.010 Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide a policy and procedure for the reduction and abatement of utility (water and sewer only) charges to persons or businesses receiving city services within the city of Zillah. The city council is of the view that under certain circumstances, the water and/or sewer consumption charges imposed by meter readings should be reduced for a break or leak in water lines which existed and was repaired. This chapter shall set forth the city’s policy and procedure for determining the reduction in the utility billings. (Ord. 1501 § 1, 2020; Ord. 708 § 1, 1991)
13.28.020 Procedure to reduce utility billings.
In order for a city utility user to make application for a reduction or abatement of a city water and/or sewer consumption charge, the applicant must apply and provide their name, address and reason for the request, and the applicant must establish the following factors:
A. That during any given billing period, the amount of water for which the user was billed was double the average use during a comparable billing period. That information will be pulled from the city utility billing system and included on a form provided by the city, attached to the ordinance codified in this chapter as Exhibit A (or as amended).
B. That the increased water usage was due to a break or leak in the water lines, which break or leak has been fixed or remedied. The leak or break and the repair will be verified by a city employee, or a receipt of repair will be collected from the applicant and attached to the form provided by the city, attached to the ordinance codified in this chapter as Exhibit A (or as amended).
When any user of city utility services establishes said factors, the city administrator shall be authorized to reduce the water and/or sewer consumption charges on the utility bill in question, to an amount equivalent to 50 percent of the consumption-based charges for water and/or sewer usage which exceed an amount considered to be normal usage. (Ord. 1501 § 1, 2020; Ord. 708 § 2, 1991)
13.28.030 City responsibility.
Should a city water user establish by competent proof that any increased water usage was due to the fault of the city or due to the failure of pipes or other water facilities for which the city is responsible, the entire amount of charges exceeding charges for the average or normal amount of water consumption as established by consumption during comparable periods of time shall be abated. (Ord. 1501 § 1, 2020; Ord. 708 § 3, 1991)
13.28.040 Appeals to city council.
Should any utility user make a presentation to the city administrator pursuant to the provisions of this chapter seeking a reduction or abatement of water and/or sewer consumption charges, and should any such user be dissatisfied with the decision of the city administrator, the matter may be appealed to the city council for consideration at a regularly scheduled meeting of the city council within 30 days of receipt of appeal. The city council shall hear from the utility user and the city administrator. The city council shall render a decision after consideration. The decision of the city council shall be final subject only to review under the provisions of the Washington Administrative Procedure Act, RCW Title 34. (Ord. 1501 § 1, 2020; Ord. 708 § 4, 1991)