ADOPTION DATE: JANUARY 11,1995

Revision #1 Dated August 4,1999

Revision #2 Dated February 6,2003

Revision #3 Dated February 6,2004

RESPONSIBLE FOR ADMINISTERING POLICY:

Manager, Governing Board

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:

It is accepted utility practice in the United States that only one dwelling be allowed to hook on to a single utility service line. The costs of utility service are to be shared as equitably as possible among utility customers. Minimum bills reflect, among other things, the overhead required to keep utility service in place, regardless of whether a particular customer uses the service during a billing period. The fact that service is ready upon demand 24 hours every day to meet a customer's potential needs places financial demands on the system that are generally reflected in the minimum bill. If utilities were to allow more than one customer to hook up to a single service line, several users would be paying only one minimum bill. The legitimate overhead costs of the system would be disproportionately passed on to other customers.

In addition, the following circumstances require the utility to limit service to one dwelling unit per meter:

a) Extending lines to serve more than one customer through a single service line may create pressure and/or quality problems within the system;

b) Meters and other equipment have a definite capacity and working range. If more than one customer is served by a single residential meter installation, the reliability and life span of the equipment is impaired;

c) The use of non-approved pipelines, fittings or solder can pose a danger to the occupants of the dwelling and other customers as well.

The utility is run for the benefit of all present and future customers, and while no customer shall intentionally be treated unfairly, no customer shall be treated in a way that compromises the interests of other customers.

POLICY STATEMENT:

1 ... The service connection to single family residences shall be limited to serving one residence only. No other dwelling, whether located on the same parcel or on an adjoining parcel, shall be served through the same service connection. Customers may have lines extended to barns and other uninhabited buildings as part of their service, provided that the installation meets the utility's specifications.

2 ... A residential tapping privilege shall not entitle a customer to connect a commercial or industrial business such as a beauty parlor or repair shop to the utility's lines without notifying the utility and paying the additional amount required for a commercial or industrial tap.

3 ... Authorized employees, representatives and contractors of the utility shall have access to all properties served by the utility at reasonable times for the purpose of reading meters, maintaining and inspecting lines and connections to the utility (or believed to be connected to the utility), observation, measurement, sampling and testing as provided by the policies of the utility and by state and federal law.

4 ... The failure of a customer to comply with the provisions of this and other policies of the utility shall constitute a breach of contract by the customer. Any customer found to be violating any provision of this policy shall be served by the utility with written notice stating the nature of the violation and providing a time limit for the satisfactory correction thereof. The offending customer shall, within the period of time stated in such notice, permanently cease all violations.

5 ... Any customer who shall continue any violation beyond the time limit stated in the notice shall be disconnected from the system at the convenience of the utility.

6 ... If more than one customer is served from a single residential meter installation, the reliability and lifespan of the equipment is impaired. Failure to give notice of additions or changes in load to utility equipment shall render the customer liable for any damage to utility lines or other equipment caused by the addition or modified installation.

… The following residential dwellings shall have a SEPARATE METER FOR EACH LIVING UNIT:

a). Single family dwelling

b). Duplexes (two meters), triplexes and multiplexes

(three or more meters);

c). Mobile homes;

8 ... The following residential dwellings shall be required to maintain multiple living units on one COMMERCIAL tap:

a) Mobile home parks consisting of five (5) or more units;

b) Apartment buildings consisting of five (5) or more units;

c) Hotels, motels, resorts and campgrounds consisting of five (5) or more units.

d) Condominiums consisting of five (5) or more units.

9 ... All customers in section (8) above who are allowed to receive service to multiple users through a single meter shall be charged residential rates. In addition, the following method of bill computation shall apply:

The total usage shall be divided by the number of units, then applying the appropriate residential rate for the amount prorated for each unit, including the minimum bill, and multiplying the result by the number of units. The total bill shall be the responsibility of the customer who contracted for the metered service.

Example:

a) Divide the total monthly bill by the number of units = prorated bill;

b) Figure the prorated bills for each unit as you would any other commercial bill.

In effect, the utility charge for each such dwelling unit or business unit thus served will have been computed as if each such unit had received service by separate meters.

RECORD KEEPING DURATION:

All multiple service connection records shall be kept for a minimum of ten years after termination of service.

OMISSIONS: