Title
Pertaining to cost responsibilities for thawing frozen water services.
Body
WHEREAS, the Board of Water Commissioners and its water service customers have shared responsibilities in the prevention and thawing of frozen water services; and
WHEREAS, Section 87.18(a) of the Municipal Code of the City of Saint Paul states that costs for the thawing of frozen water service connections within private property are the responsibility of the property owner; and
WHEREAS, Section 87.18(b) of the Municipal Code of the City of Saint Paul states that thawing of frozen water service connections within street right-of-way may be thawed by the water utility without charge, leaving open the decision whether the property owner would be charged for the work; and
WHEREAS, the Board wishes to clarify the cost responsibilities of thawing frozen water services, and also the responsibility for preventing the freezing of services; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Board of Water Commissioners of the City of Saint Paul shall apply the following to the thawing of frozen water services:
1. The water utility shall thaw water service connections frozen within the street right-of-way without charge for the first occurrence of the season.
2. The property owner shall be responsible for charges for each subsequent thawing of the season.
3. A credit of ½ billing unit per day, up to a maximum of 15 billing units per month, shall be applied to the accounts of customers who have been notified by the water utility that it is necessary to run a faucet at a low flow to prevent freezing or refreezing of their water service, and where metered use indicates a preventative flow by comparing use during the same period of previous years.