SB179 Summary

• Applies to municipal water works boards serving four or more counties as of January 1, 2015, requiring them to provide customer account information to county commissions upon written request within 30 calendar days, limited to two requests per calendar year per board.

• Mandates boards provide continuous online electronic access to customer data including identifying information, lease/deed copies, and service applications to facilitate county administration of sewer service accounts within 60 calendar days of request.

• Requires boards to perform billing and collection services for county sewer customers upon written request, billing both water and sewer services on a single bill and applying equal effort to collect both charges, with board compensation set at 110 percent of actual direct incremental costs.

• Obligates boards to disconnect water service for nonpayment of sewer charges within 10 business days of county request, after the county provides 30-day delinquency notice to customers, with disconnection fees capped at the board's published rate for water service disconnections.

• Establishes cost determination procedures using independent certified public accountants selected by mutual agreement, with both parties splitting examination costs and updated reviews every other year, and allows counties to sue for board noncompliance with courts awarding attorney fees and costs against non-compliant boards.