April 1, 1999
Contact: (718/595-3601)
New York City Water Board Public Hearings
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT in accordance with Section
1045-j(3) of the Public Authorities Law, public hearings will
be held on April 22, 23, 26 and 27, 1999, concerning proposed
rates and charges to be effective July 1, 1999, for the use of,
or services rendered or made available in New York City by the
Water and Wastewater System of the City of New York (the "System")
and concerning proposed billing and customer service policy changes
to be incorporated into the New York City Water Board's Rate Schedule
effective July 1, 1999. The hearings will be held as follows:
Borough |
Place |
Date/Time |
Queens |
Department of Environmental Protection
6th Floor Lecture Room 59-17
Junction Boulevard Corona, New York 11368 |
Thursday
April 22, 1999
6:00 P.M. |
Bronx |
Herbert H. Lehman College
Carman Hall, Rm. B-34
250 Bedford Park Boulevard
West Bronx, New York 10468 |
Friday
April 23, 1999
10:00 A.M. |
Staten Island |
College of Staten Island
Conference Center, Rm. 1P-116
2800 Victory Boulevard
Staten Island, New York 10314 |
Monday
April 26, 1999
10:00 A.M. |
Brooklyn |
Kingsborough Community College
Marine Academic Center, Rm. M-239
Oriental Boulevard Manhattan Beach
Brooklyn, New York 11235 |
Monday
April 26, 1999
2:30 P.M. |
Manhattan |
The College of Insurance
2nd Floor Auditorium
101 Murray Street
New York, New York 10007 |
Tuesday
April 27, 1999
5:00 P.M. |
It is currently anticipated that there will be a change from currently
effective water and wastewater rates for services provided during
the fiscal year commencing July 1, 1999:
- Metered and unmetered water rates will increase by an amount
not to exceed 4.0%
- The wastewater rate will remain at 159% of the corresponding
water charge which is payable on each account.
- With respect to water sales to municipalities and water districts
north of the City, the regulated rate will be increased to
approximately $385.13 per million gallons effective July 1,
1999, and the rate for amounts in excess of allowance quantities
will be equal to the in-city metered rate of approximately
$1,737.97 per million gallons.
It is also contemplated that certain billing and customer service
policies will be changed, including the following:
- All Water Board Discretionary Billing Programs: uniform requirement
of applying within 18 months of the bill; premises in violation
of Certificate of Occupancy not eligible for discretionary
programs; refunds related to credits arising from Water Board
billing programs not to be made where credit will be used
within one-year.
- Extend Waiver of Interest Period: from current 6 months up
to a maximum of 18 months for bills meeting certain conditions
and covering an extended period of time.
- Backbilling Limitation: modify definition of residential premises;
expand 2- year coverage to include exempt properties; limit
definition of upward adjustments to specifically exclude erroneously
canceled charges.
- Transition Programs: extend authorization for accounts to
remain on flat-rate billing to June 30, 2000 and expand eligibility
to premises with 6 or more residential units and eliminate
need for variances.
- Initial Meter Bill Cap: delete requirement that flat-rate
conversion credit be considered in the determination of initial
meter bill eligibility.
- Leak Forgiveness: reduce benefit to half of the bill instead
of the current 150% of prior ADC; change eligibility to once
every 5 years instead of the current once every 18 months,
except in the case of ownership changes.
- Complaint Resolution: require that customer must register
a complaint within 18 months of the bill; reinstate explicit
three tiered complaint resolution by inserting an initial
review at borough office or customer service call center prior
to initial appeal to BCCS Deputy Commissioner.
- Innocent Owner Provision: incorporate DEP policy into Board
rules; provide relief to innocent owners where unbilled charges
are discovered after property transfer, but charges were not
posted to account at time of title search and a final reading
was requested.
- Rate Schedule: conform to Statutory Language to Make Explicit
the Board's Authority to bill Con Edison for Steam Condensate
Discharges to Sewer System.
All members of the public who wish to obtain copies of the Board's
Information Booklet describing the rate proposal, and the proposed
billing policy modifications, or who wish to testify at the hearing
should contact Kevin Kunkle, New York City Water Board, 59-17
Junction Boulevard, 8th Floor, Corona, New York 11368, (718) 595-3601
not later than April 20, 1999. Oral testimony will be limited
to five (5) minutes duration. A copy of any prepared or written
statement may be submitted to the Water Board at the above address
at least two days prior to the meeting.