SERVICES

 

Policy and Procedures

Last Updated: September 13, 2021

 

1. Membership Requirements

                A. Membership Fee

                The cost of a membership for all customers, including homeowners or renters, is $15. 

                 Member responsibilities are outlined in the Water User’s Agreement.

                B. User’s Agreement

                 A Water User’s Agreement must be executed by each new member upon application for service.

                C. Health Department Requirements

                A Permit of Intent must be obtained from the MSDH online portal prior to application for service.

                D. Proof of Ownership

                Proof of legal ownership will be required upon new service application. 

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2. Meter Placement

A standard meter set includes meter placement at maximum of 20’ from the nearest Jayess Topeka Tilton Water Association main line.  The customer will be responsible to obtaining an easement from any neighboring property owners, if necessary.  A standard meter set is required for each active service site.    

                A. Fees:

                     $725 – Installation of (including parts and labor) standard meter (with box/lid)

                     $15 – Membership 

                      ……… $740.00

               

                    B. Additional Costs

                     Additional parts and labor, required based on property location and access will be the                                                        responsibility of the customer e.g. additional pipe, road boring, etc.

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3. Connection/Upgrade Fees

The cost of a meter upgrade, where an existing service set-up is present but contains outdated equipment, is $300. 

The cost of service re-connection, where an existing service set-up is present and contains current radio-read equipment is $30.  **Proof of ownership/residency and membership fees will be required if property has been acquired from a previous member.

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4. Rental Requirements

                A. Fees/Deposit

                A $15 membership deposit will apply upon application

                A deposit of $150 will be required.  The rental deposit is refundable upon exit of property (minus the balance                  due on the water account). A $300 connection fee or $30 connection may apply if service at the property is                      currently inactive.

 

                B. Proof of residency

                A rental agreement will be required upon application for service. 

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5. Service Costs/Policies

                A. Water Rates

                Current water rates are $23 for usage up to 2000 gallons and $7 per each 1000 gallons used thereafter.  

                B. Customer Responsibilities

                Service and maintenance repairs are the customer’s responsibility from meter to their property.    The Board                   of Directors is aware of the hardship that can be incurred due to an unexpected leak.  Customers who are                       unable to make a full payment on an excessive bill caused by a leak will be allowed to pay their current                             monthly bill, plus 10% of the cost incurred by the leak until the bill is paid in full.  Late penalties will not be                       assessed on the amount caused by the leak. 

               Damages incurred within the customer service area from the water meter into the home are the responsibility                 of the customer.    

               

 

C. Maintenance Reporting

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Maintenance concerns are to be reported to the office during regular business hours in order to be placed on the queue for repair.  

               

D. Service Disconnect

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Customers with billing charges more than 45 days past due are subject to immediate service disconnect without further notice.

1. Monthly Payment Options

To avoid service disconnect, customers are required to pay the total amount of the current monthly billing cycle plus 10% of the past due balance. 

1. Service reinstatement

A reconnect fee of $80 will be assessed on accounts whose service has been disconnected due to non-payment. For service reconnect, the customer must pay the total amount owed plus the service reconnect fee. Maintenance workers will have from the time of disconnect to reinstate service as system needs will take precedence over service reinstatement. It is the customer’s responsibility to request their valve to be turned to the active position upon water reinstatement, otherwise, the lock will be removed, but the valve will remain closed.

E. Multiple Service Lines

Prior to the December 2, 2019 updates to the Policy and Procedures, customers were allowed multiple hook-ups per a single meter, with an $18 flat rate assessed per each of the lines of service.  It will henceforth be the policy of Jayess Topeka Tilton Water Association that a new meter is set for each residence receiving service. 

 

6. Service Requests

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A. Meter Relocation

If the customer desires a relocation of a currently placed meter due to service problems or inconvenience, the Water Operator and Board of Directors will assess the situation on an as-needed basis to provide the most reasonable course of action.  The customer will be responsible for the cost of the meter relocation.

B.  Valve Maintenance

It is the customer’s responsibility to open and close the service valve at their meter.  A customer may request a maintenance worker to open or close their valve for a fee of $50 during regular working hours and $100 after hours. 

               

C. Meter Reading

a.  Meter reading is generally completed on or around the 15th of each month.  Billing cycle dates can be found on each monthly bill, which should be received on or around the 30th of each month.

b. It is the responsibility of the customer to ensure access to their meter for monthly readings.  Impediments upon meter reading e.g. locked gates/fencing, animal threat, objects over the meter, etc. will result in an average reading being applied to the customer’s account and the customer will be notified.  Persistent inability to obtain readings will result in loss of service access.     

c. Previous and current readings can also be noted on each month’s billing card.  If the customer has a billing concern, they may call the office to ensure that an error has not been made in the entering or reading of the meter.  Customers who request their meter reading to be reobtained will be charged $25 for meter readings which are determined as correct.  If a discrepancy in reading is noted, the bill will be corrected immediately and there will be no charge assessed to the customer account. 

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D. Contesting Meter Accuracy

A Data Log may be obtained at a customer’s request to display all usage within the past 96 days for a fee of $30. 

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E. Service Interruption

If a customer experiences an interruption in service and no break in the main line has been located, the office personnel will direct the customer to perform checks over the phone.  If the customer is unwilling to perform the proper protocol for determining the cause of service interruption, a maintenance employee will attend the problem.  If the issue is noted on the customer’s side of the service line, a $100 fee will be assessed.  If the interruption is due to repairs needed on the association side, repairs will begin immediately and no fee will be assessed to the customer.

 

7. Legal Concerns

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A. Returned Checks

Insufficient Funds causing returned checks will result in a $40 fee.  Multiple incursions will result in termination of check-writing privileges. 

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 B.  Damage to Association Property

Locks removed from meters are assessed as damage to association property.  A $100 will be applied upon the first offense, $200 upon second, and a third offense will result in prosecution for damages and termination of service. 

Misuse of water service or tampering with JTTWA property will result in immediate prosecution.

Damages will be assessed on a situation basis as costs of materials varies. 

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C. Sewage Concerns

Waste lines are not to be installed over or within 20 ft of association water lines.

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8. Association Responsibilities

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The Jayess Topeka Tilton Water Association will comply with State and Federal regulations as directed by the proper agency guidelines.

1. Notifications

IRIS sign-up will be offered upon application for service for customers to be notified upon boil water notices or planned service interruptions.

1. Board of Directors

The members of the Board of Directors are subject to required training per state guidelines.The Board of Directors reserves the right to amend or change the policy and procedures of the association at any time.