Prosper's rules for water bills, shutoffs and water theft are due for their first major rewrite in years, and the Town Council is set to vote on the new version Tuesday, Oct. 13.
The last big updates to the two sections of town code being replaced came in 2006 and 2015, according to a memo from Utility Customer Service Administrator Marsa Wages. Many of the changes put existing practices into writing, staff says.
Cracking down on illegal connections
The memo says the town has seen more illegal water connections in recent years, including "jumpers," temporary pipes used during new subdivision construction before a meter is installed, and unauthorized piping tied directly into water taps. Until now, staff wrote, the town had no clear process for handling those violations or charging fines and reconnection fees.
The new section lists eight forms of water theft, including meter or line tampering, tapping in without permission and turning service back on after a shutoff for nonpayment. Any violation, including a first offense, could cost the customer their deposit and their meter or service, and a reconnection fee would be required.
The draft ties penalties to the state criminal mischief law and says an offense under the ordinance is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $2,000.
What changes for customers
- New accounts: on request, customers would have to provide identification and information showing their right to occupy the address. Staff says the rule is meant to deter unauthorized occupancy and to stop people with unpaid balances from opening a new account under another name.
- Leaks: customers could seek a bill adjustment once every 24 months for water lost to a broken line, now including leaks inside wall plumbing. Leaks from faucets, toilets, sprinklers, pools and outdoor kitchens would not qualify, and excess water would be billed at half the regular rate.
- Late payments: a 10% penalty would apply after the due date, waivable once a year. A disconnect notice would follow if the bill is still unpaid 10 days after the due date.
- Sewer billing: new residential customers without a winter average would be billed as if they used 8,000 gallons a month until one is set.
