§ 154-28. Disputed bills.

The commissioner of the department of watershed management shall have the duty and responsibility to provide notice and an opportunity to be heard to users of water and sewer services to resolve disputed water/sewer bill amounts prior to termination or other legal action to collect the full amount of the bill, which will include the following:

(1)

Written notice to consumers that they have the right to dispute such bill amounts by providing to the commissioner of the department of watershed management on or before the due date of the bill to be disputed written notice setting forth the dispute in accordance with the instructions contained on the disputed bill, provided, however, that failure to either pay the bill or provide written notice of the dispute of the bill will be grounds for the commissioner of the department of watershed management to provide notice that the water service may be immediately terminated without additional notice.

(2)

The designation of employees empowered to correct mistakes in the determination of the amounts billed to customers that have properly submitted written notice of the dispute of a bill to the commissioner of the department of watershed management, whose duties will include meeting with the disputing customer, investigating the basis of the dispute, sending a written response to the customer of the result of the investigation prior to any termination of services or other legal action to collect the full amount of the bill. The written responses will be in the form of a certified letter and will include notice of the availability of a hearing before the water and sewer appeals board after payment of the amount in dispute.

(Code 1977, § 9-4084; Ord. No. 1998-87, § 5, 12-10-98; Ord. No. 2001-97, § 2, 12-11-01; Ord. No. 2006-53, §§ 6—8, 8-29-06)