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Home My WebLink About1997 08 11 Regular Item F COMMISSION AGENDA I T EM F REGULAR X CONSENT INFORMATIONAL August 11. 1997 Meeting MGR ~l;i/LIDEPT ~y Authorization REQUEST: Utility Department is Requesting Clarification of the Policy Relating to Customer Notification on Reclaimed Water Service Availability PURPOSE: The purpose ofthis Board item is to request clarification of the policy of the City Commission relating to customer notification on reclaimed water service availability prior to and during construction of reclaimed water distribution retrofit projects. CONSIDERATIONS: The City adopted the reclaimed water ordinance in 1990 which specifies the procedures to be followed when the City is undertaking the construction of a reclaimed water distribution retrofit project in an existing subdivision. As provided in the code, our practice to date has been that the customer is notified via mail of our intent to install a reuse system and if they would like that service to return the included application form. A reclaimed water service included in the construction is provided at no charge. We have accepted application forms all the way through project completion. The fee for installing a service after the project is complete is $150. During public input at the May 26, 1997 City Commission meeting, a property owner on Boxwood Circle complained that they had not been notified of the availability of reclaimed water project due to the renting of the property and the failure ofthe tenant to complete the application or forward the notification to the property owner. The property owner requested that the $150 fee be waived and a service installed to the property. The City Commission directed staff to report back with how many other property owners may not have been notified due to the "customer" on the billing system being tenants. August 11, 1997 Regular Agenda Item F Page 2- ISSUE ANALYSIS The recently completed reclaimed water distribution project provided a reuse system to the Highland Village area (MacGregor Road) and North Orlando Section One area (Boxwood Circle) which contain a total of 173 homes. Applications were sent to the customers at the 173 homes based on utility billing information. A comparison of the tax rolls to the utility billing customer data base shows that 18 of the 173 utility customers were not owners. 7 of the 18 tenants requested and received reclaimed water services. It is not known if the approximately 10% figure for customers that are renters is representative of the rest of the west service area. Alternative #] - Continue the past practice of notifying customers only based on the utility billing customer database. Property owners who did not receive notification or a reclaimed water service due to their property being rented would have to pay the $150 fee for service as provided for in the code. Alternative #2 - Change the code to require that property owners be notified instead of "customers". This could create a slight billing problem if a owner was to request service but the tenant/customer were to decline service in that two bills would be generated for the same address to different "customers". Property owners who did not receive notification or a reclaimed water service due to their property being rented during previous projects would have the $150 fee for service be waived. Alternative #3 - Continue the past practice of notifying customers based on the utility billing customer database. After a specified period ( 60 days), a second notification would be sent only to owners of those properties for which no affrrmative response had been received. For construction, reclaimed services would be installed for all properties. Those customers/owners that do not request service prior to or during construction would subsequently have to pay the $150 fee. For those property owners who did not receive notification or a reclaimed water service due to their property being rented during previous projects, they would have the $150 fee for service waived. August 11, 1997 Regular Agenda Item F Page ...l. FUNDING No funds are needed at this time. RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Commission direct staff to incorporate Alternative #3 into our reclaimed water distribution retrofit project practice to notify customers first and a follow up notification to property owners for which no response was received. IMPLEMENTATION: If alternative #3 is approved, a second notification will be sent to those properties in Greenspointe (and all future projects) for which no affmnative response has been received. The project to install a reuse system in Greenspointe was advertised for bid on July 6, 1997. Property owners in HigWand Village and North Orlando Terraces Section One who were not notified and now request a service would have a reclaimed water service installed at no charge. ATTACHMENTS: None COMMISSION ACTION: