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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the duties of a water service provider in an area served |
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by a municipal sewer service. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 402, Local Government |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 402.911 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 402.911. DUTIES OF WATER SERVICE PROVIDER TO AN AREA |
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SERVED BY MUNICIPAL SEWER SERVICE. (a) This section applies to an |
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area only if: |
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(1) a municipality provides sewer service to the area; |
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(2) an entity other than the municipality provides |
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water service to the area; and |
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(3) the municipality provides water service to other |
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areas. |
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(b) A municipality may provide written notice to a person to |
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whom the municipality's sewer service system provides service if |
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the person has failed to pay for the service for more than 90 days. |
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The notice must state the past due amount owed and the deadline by |
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which the past due amount must be paid or the person will lose water |
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service. The notice may be sent by mail or hand-delivered to the |
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location at which the sewer service is provided. |
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(c) The municipality may notify the water service provider |
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of a person who fails to make timely payment after the person |
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receives notice under Subsection (b). The notice must indicate the |
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number of days the person has failed to pay for sewer services and |
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the total amount past due. On receipt of the notice, the water |
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service provider shall discontinue water service to the person. |
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(d) For each person the water service provider serves in an |
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area to which this section applies, the water service provider |
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shall provide the municipality with any relevant customer |
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information so that the municipality may bill users of the sewer |
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service directly and verify the water consumption of users. |
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Relevant customer information provided under this section includes |
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the name, address, and telephone number of the customer of the water |
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service provider, the monthly meter readings of the customer, |
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monthly consumption information, including any billing |
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adjustments, and certain meter information, such as brand, model, |
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age, and location. |
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(e) The municipality shall reimburse the water service |
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provider for its reasonable and actual incremental costs for |
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providing services to the municipality under this section. |
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Incremental costs are limited to only those costs that are in |
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addition to the water service provider's costs in providing its |
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services to its customers, and those costs must be consistent with |
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the costs incurred by other water utility providers. The water |
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service provider must provide the municipality with documentation |
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certified by a certified public accountant of the reasonable and |
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actual incremental costs for providing services to the municipality |
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under this section. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |