Relating to sewer services provided by a city utility, including establishing procedures for water that does not enter the sewer system

This bill relates to sewer services provided by a city utility, including establishing procedures for water that does not enter the sewer system. The bill provides findings of the general assembly that municipal sewer charges are intended to recover costs associated with actual wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal. When water is lost due to leaks, pipe failures, or similar conditions, and does not enter the sewer system, charging sewer service fees for that water constitutes a fee for services not rendered and is inequitable. The bill declares the intent of the general assembly that sewer fees should be based on actual sewer usage. The bill prohibits a city utility from charging, assessing, or retaining sewer service fees for water that is demonstrated to have not entered the sewer system due to a water line leak, service line failure, metered water loss to the ground or environment, or any other condition in which sewer services were not utilized. The bill requires, upon reasonable verification of a qualifying water loss, the city or municipal utility to adjust the sewer service charges for the affected billing period and refund any sewer service fees that were improperly collected. The bill authorizes a city to require reasonable documentation to verify water loss, including repair invoices, plumber certifications, utility inspection reports, or other evidence of leakage or loss. The bill provides that a city may not impose unreasonable evidentiary requirements or apply arbitrary standards to deny adjustments or refunds. The bill requires requests for sewer charge adjustments or refunds to be accepted for a period of not less than 12 months following the billing date in which the water loss occurred. The bill prohibits a city from adopting an ordinance or policy or otherwise regulating a utility in a manner that limits, waives, or circumvents the requirements of the bill. The bill provides that a customer believed to have been affected by a violation of the bill may file a complaint with the office of ombudsman or seek recovery of improperly collected fees through a civil action, including court costs. The bill applies to all city utilities operating sewer systems in Iowa and to customers of those city utilities.