Water bills; prohibit certain municipalities from estimating water bills after 120 days.
Impact
Additionally, HB945 amends Section 21-27-77 of the Mississippi Code to extend the repeal date on existing programs addressing disputed or delinquent water and sewer accounts. It allows municipalities to adopt rules to deal with these accounts, which need to take into consideration the customer’s ability to pay. The bill is intended to create a fairer process for addressing billing inaccuracies and help those who face challenges in managing their water bills due to various reasons, such as economic hardship or billing errors.
Summary
House Bill 945 focuses on improving the accuracy of water billing for municipalities in Mississippi that have a population of 150,000 or more. The bill prohibits these municipalities from estimating water bills for any customer beyond 120 days from the time the bill should have been issued. Instead, it mandates that if a customer has not received an accurate bill within this timeframe, the municipality must provide a correct bill in the next billing cycle. This aims to ensure that customers are charged accurately for their water usage and do not face unexpected higher bills based on estimations.
Contention
While the bill has the potential to improve customer rights and transparency in water billing, there may be some contention surrounding its implementation. Municipalities may argue that this prevents them from utilizing estimation to manage their resources effectively, especially during periods when accurate readings may be difficult to obtain, such as during severe weather events or equipment failures. Critics may raise concerns about the operational challenges and costs associated with ensuring accurate readings and billings, especially in larger municipalities.
Notable_points
Overall, HB945 is a significant shift towards protecting consumers from estimated billing practices. It emphasizes accurate billing within a reasonable time frame and enhances the accountability of municipalities in managing their water service charges. This legislation could set a precedent for future water regulation policies within the state, pushing for increased transparency and fairness in utility billing practices.