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PURPOSE
This policy sets out the circumstances under which residential customers of the Truro
Water Utility can apply for a billing adjustment due to a water leak on the customer (or
property) side of the water meter for the property and establishes the method used to
quantify the adjustment.
APPLICATION
This policy applies to owners of residential properties that are owner-occupied.
DEFINITIONS
Billing period: A 3-month period for which water consumption is monitored and billed
by the Truro Water Utility.
Director of Public Works: The Town's Director of Public Works or their delegate.
Director of Corporate Services: The Town's Director of Corporate Services or their
delegate.
Customer: Owner of a residential property who occupies the property, which property is
connected to the Truro Water Utility.
POLICY
1. No adjustment or credit will be applied to a water bill for except as set out in this
Policy or in the Schedule of Rates for Water and Water Services for the Truro Water
Utility, set by the Utility and Review Board.
2. A customer is eligible to apply to the Town for an adjustment if:
a) the volume of water used by their property during a billing period is at least
twice the average of the volumes used during the same billing periods in the
two previous years; and
b) the cause of the increased usage is a water leak on the customer's side of the
water meter for the property.
Town of Truro - Policy & Procedure Manual
Subject:
Water Leak Adjustment Policy
Policy Number:
P180-005
Approval Date:
May 1, 2017
Departments:
Corporate Services & Public Works
3. To be eligible to apply for an adjustment:
a) The customer must repair the water leak within 14 days of being notified or
learning of the leak. Notification includes receiving a water bill that shows
the increased water usage or receiving written or verbal notice from the Town
of increased water usage. The 14-day deadline may be extended by the
Director of Public Works in their discretion if the customer has made
reasonable efforts to repair the leak or in other extraordinary circumstances.
b) The customer must apply for the adjustment within 14 days of repairing the
leak by submitting to the Director of Public Works a completed "Water Leak
Adjustment Request Form" in the form attached to this Policy or as amended
by the Director of Public Works, along with documentation showing that the
leak has been repaired.
c) At the time the customer applies for the adjustment, the water account for the
property must not be in arrears, or if it is in arrears, there must be payment
arrangements in place that have been approved by the Director of Corporate
Services.
d) The Town must confirm that the leak has been repaired, by reading the water
meter twice within a 2-week period to verify that water usage has returned to
normal volumes.
e) The leak must be the result of inadvertence, accident or oversight.
Adjustments will not be approved if the water leak:
i. occurred in a residence that was unoccupied for 72 consecutive hours
or more;
ii. was caused by a third party from whom the customer is entitled to
receive compensation; or
iii. was the result of vandalism or damage arising during construction or
renovations.
4. If the Director of Public Works approves an application for adjustment:
a) the Town will calculate an adjustment to the customer's water account for the
property as follows:
Water adjustment amount = Excess water volume x Price of water;
b) the Town will calculate an adjustment to the customer's sewer charge for the
property as follows:
Sewer charge adjustment amount = Excess water volume x Sewer rate
c) in (a) and (b) above:
i. "Excess water volume" is the difference in cubic metres between the
volume of water used during the billing period(s) when the leak
occurred and the volume of water used during the same billing
period(s) in the previous year;
ii. "Price of water" is the Consumption Rate per cubic metre applicable to
the water usage rate charged to the customer for that quarter as
prescribed in the Schedule of Rates for Water and Water Services for
the Truro Water Utility, set by the Utility and Review Board;
iii. "Sewer rate" is the sewer rate set by the Town, in $ per cubic metre.
5. The Town will, in the discretion of the Director of Corporate Services, pay or credit
the amount of the adjustment in one of the following ways:
a) Credit the amount of the water adjustment amount to the customer's water
account for the property (in which case the Town will transfer the amount of
the water adjustment amount to the Truro Water Utility) and credit the amount
of the sewer charge adjustment amount to the customer's sewer charge
account; or
b) Pay the total of the water adjustment amount and the sewer charge adjustment
amount to the customer.
6. An application for an adjustment does not extend the time for payment of water bills
or sewer charges. A customer who has applied for an adjustment must continue to
keep their water account in good standing by paying water bills as they become due
or making payment arrangements with the Town that are approved by the Director of
Corporate Services.
7. A customer may not receive more than one adjustment to their water account or sewer
charges for any one property. If an adjustment has been made for a property that has
since been transferred to a new owner, that owner is eligible to apply for an
adjustment for the property in accordance with this Policy.
Town of Truro
Water Leak Adjustment Request Form
Name:
Account Number:
Address:
Phone Number:
Email Address:
Are you a Property Owner?
Yes
No
Do you live on the property?
Yes
No
Have you received a leak adjustment before?
Yes
No
Where did this leak occur?
Who repaired the leak and on what date(s)?
Submit your request form, with copies of all receipts related to the repair to:
Town of Truro
Public Works Department
695 Prince Street
Truro, NS B2N 5C5
Email: publicworks@truro.ca
If you require additional information about the Town of Truro Water Leak Adjustment Policy,
please visit www.truro.ca
For Office Use Only
Application Complete?
Yes
No
Notes:
Director of Public Works Authorization (or delegate):