Leak Adjustments

In the event of a leak, the Town will consider an adjustment to a utility account, as a courtesy to our customers. A leak on the customer’s side of the meter is considered the property owner or tenant’s responsibility to repair, including all costs associated with the repair.

Eligibility:

• The total amount of water leaked must be more than 2,000 gallons
• The repair must have taken place within 30 days of the leak being detected
• The request and repair invoices must be submitted within 30 days of the repair
• No adjustments have been granted within the past 6 billing cycles
• No more than 2 billing cycles can be reimbursed per adjustment request

Process for account-holder:

• Request an adjustment by submitting the Water Leak and Adjustment Request Form
• Submit repair documents along with the form. If it was self-repair, document in detail, including dates and times, as well as the nature of the repair
• Allow 3 billing cycles for the request to be processed
• Any approved credit will be reflected on the customer’s billing statement
• The customer shall continue to make regular monthly payments as scheduled while the request is under review
• The cost of the repair is not reimbursable
• Base service charges are not reimbursable
• The customer must be signed up for the Eye on Water program before the credit is applied

Process for Town staff:

• Upon receipt of an adjustment request, a review will be scheduled for after the next billing date
• Using the Town’s meter-reading system, staff will determine the amount of the leak. In the absence or malfunction of such a system, staff will refer to the customer’s average use for the corresponding billing period in each of the prior 3 years
• Communication between the Town & the resident shall be ongoing during the process
• The resident may be credited the difference between:
  1. The amount billed
  2. The amount based on the combination of these two amounts:
     1. Adjusted Consumption, charged per the current Town of Westlake water & sewer rates
     2. The amount leaked, charged per the Pass-Through Rate 

Winter Quarter Average Adjustments

1. If the leak occurred during any of the Winter Quarter Average months, an adjustment to the WQA will be made. Sewer charges may be adjusted if a considerable decrease in the WQA is applied.
2. If a resident fills their pool during the Winter Quarter Average Months (December-February), they may request an adjustment to their sewer bill only.  The charges for water consumption may not be adjusted. The excess usage may not affect their sewer charges for the year.

Exception: In the case of malfunctioning Town equipment or a billing error, strict adherence to the limits described in this policy would not be required.