Fountain City residents whose water bills are delinquent will no longer receive a notice at their door before the water service is shut off.
The Fountain City town council approved the change in the notification process during its Sept. 6 meeting.
Town clerk Trina McGuire asked council members to eliminate that step, saying that putting “door hanger” notices of imminent water shut off for delinquent payment never has formally been part of the town’s water termination process. More importantly, she said, the step is costing the town money, since the door hangers cost about $25 per package, and it is taking employees’ time away from other duties, as they have recently been posting about 30 per month.
The town will continue to send residents their water bill, which is on a bill with other town services, around the first of the month. Additionally, delinquent notices will continue to be mailed on the 20th of the month. The disconnection date is printed on the delinquent notice.
Customers will continue to receive door hanger signs when the water has been disconnected.
In other business:
■ Had a public hearing regarding the town’s 2023 budget. The projected budget estimate is $388,710, with the current tax levy at $274,589 and the amount of funds to be raised at $287,356. Council will vote on the budget at its Oct. 4 meeting.
■ Continued to hear from customers who feel the new water meters don’t reflect their water use.
Several customers complained that there must have been a malfunction in the system that caused their bills to spike one month and then return to normal usage and cost levels the next month.
One man complained that there was no way he could have used 7,100 gallons of water within three days, and another complained that he had been billed for using 7,000 gallons of water per day. Council members agreed to adjust the wastewater portion of the former’s bill and to look into the possibility of a connection leak at the latter’s residence.
In August, council members noted customers’ bills could be adjusted to remove wastewater treatment fees, although the customers would pay the full water fees. Council also agreed no late fees would be charged on the bills questioned.
Adjusting the wastewater fee, when a customer has a leak like an outside spigot that doesn’t feed into the wastewater system, has been part of the town’s policy for years.
>> More information from the Fountain City Town Council meeting is printed in the Sept. 14, 2022, edition of Western Wayne News.