Story - The Meade County Messenger


Vol. 119. No.31	August 4 , 2010

Water district amends cut-off policy for
delinquent bills

If you are one of the people who are delinquent in paying your Meade County Water District bill, the cut-off has become quicker.

Water district General Manager Joe Bartley said bills are due on the 10th of every month, with those not being paid sent a delinquent notice on the 22nd. As a part of this notice, an additional 10 percent penalty is added.

Under the policy change, adopted by the board at their July 27 meeting, staff members will cut off water service immediately.

Bartley said this was due in part to the number of delinquent accounts and the administrative cost associated with the current policy. The new policy – effective Sept. 1 – states any account not paid before the date on the delinquent notice, will have their water service shut off immediately. No further extensions will be given.

“The vast majority of our accounts pay ontime,” Bartley said. “But there are a few who don’t pay ontime.”

“When our current policy on late payments and cut-offs was implemented in 2003, it was done in an attempt to aid those customers who occasionally experienced a financial hardship and was designed to be a “one time extension,” Bartley noted. “This policy has worked well until recently. Our growing customer base and other administrative concerns indicates we need to amend this policy.”

Bartley said per Kentucky Public Service Commission directive, any customer whose water service is disconnected, a $50 reconnection charge will be applied to have service restored.

In order to have service restored the same day, customers must pay the account in full, to include the $50 reconnection charge, before 2 p.m. If payment is made after 2 p.m., water service will be restored the following business day.

It was also reported that field employees cannot accept payments.

In other business, members learned Brandenburg Mayor David Pace has asked to re-open discussions on the water rates charged to the district by the city. A date has not been set for the meeting, Bartley said.

Officials purchase water from the City of Brandenburg and Hardin County.

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