Relating to the provision of water service for manufactured home communities

This bill relates to the provision of water service at a manufactured home community. The bill provides the landlord of a manufactured home community with the ability to choose whether water service is directly provided to tenants or provided to the community as a whole. A manufactured home community connected to a water main may sign a written water service agreement to provide water service to tenants individually in the community. The landlord of the manufactured home community must provide notice to the water system of the desire for individual water service. After notification from the landlord, the water system shall inspect the currently installed plumbing facilities in the community and provide the standards and specifications for individual use. The water system shall provide notice to the landlord of the plumbing facilities’ compliance with the standards and specifications. _____ manufactured home community to include certain terms and conditions. The landlord is responsible for complying with the water system’s reasonable and necessary standards and specifications provided prior to the agreement. Any improvements and costs associated with installing submeters and related facilities shall be the responsibility of the landlord. Tenants shall have direct accounts with the water system to view water consumption and corresponding bills. The landlord shall be provisionally billed for the water consumption shown on the master meter less the payments from the tenants and shall be subject to rebilling in the event of nonpayment by a tenant. The landlord must provide utility access and easement to the water system to read, maintain, repair, and replace submeters, and initiate and terminate service. The landlord shall retain full legal and financial responsibility for the private water infrastructure in the manufactured home community and is responsible for any repairs and corresponding payments necessary. The landlord shall provide the water system with documentation of the manufactured home community tenants. The landlord must notify all existing tenants of the change in the provision of water service. The water service agreement shall include an indemnification provision to hold the water system harmless from claims and liabilities arising from the tenants for any reason other than the water system’s willful misconduct. If the water system provides sewer and storm water services to the manufactured home community, the landlord and water system shall also agree to all sewer and storm water services and charges. The water system must ensure that all terms and rates are no greater or more burdensome than those imposed on other similar properties. At the discretion of the water system, unpaid bills remaining after days may be transferred to the landlord for payment. The water system may not require deposits from tenants for the services.84 for water service to residential rental properties shall apply to a manufactured home community for which the landlord has elected to have the water system directly provide water service to the individual tenants within the community.