Or. Admin. R. 860-037-0110

Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 8, August 1, 2024

Section 860-037-0110 - Due and Payable Period; Time-Payment Agreements for Residential Service

(1) Each wastewater utility shall establish procedures to ensure that the period from the billing transmittal for all current charges, including payment of the final bill, to the due date is not less than 15 days. If the bill is delivered by US mail, the due and payable period begins the day after the US Postal Service postmark or the day after the date of postage metering.

(2) A wastewater utility may not disconnect residential water service for nonpayment of wastewater service charges if a customer enters into a written time-payment plan. A wastewater utility will offer customers a choice of payment agreements. At a minimum, the customer may choose between a levelized-payment plan and an equal-pay arrearage plan.

(3) A customer who selects a levelized-payment plan will pay a down payment equal to the average annual bill including the account balance, divided by 12, and a like payment each month for 11 months thereafter:

(a) The monthly installment plan shall be reviewed by the wastewater utility periodically. If necessary, due to changing rates or variations, the installment amount may be adjusted in order to bring the account into balance within the time period specified in the original agreement;

(b) If a customer changes his/her service address at any time during the period of a time-payment agreement, provided that payments are then current and the customer pays other scheduled or tariffed charges associated with the change in residence, the wastewater utility shall recalculate the customer's deposit or monthly installment. The recalculated amount shall reflect the balance of the account at the previous service address and the average annual bill at the new service address for the months remaining in the original time-payment agreement. When installments on a time-payment agreement have not been kept current, a customer shall be required to pay all past-due installments, together with any other applicable charges before service is provided at the new residence.

(4) A customer who selects an equal-pay arrearage plan will pay a down payment equal to 1/12 the amount owed for past water/wastewater utility service (including the overdue amount and any amounts owed for a current bill or a bill being prepared but not yet delivered to the customer). Each month, for the next 11 months, an amount equal to the down payment will be added to, and payable with, the current charges due for wastewater service. If a customer changes his/her service address at any time during the period of an equal-pay arrearage plan, the plan continues. However, the customer must pay any past-due charges and all other applicable charges before the wastewater utility provides service at the new address.

(5) The wastewater utility and customer may agree in writing to an alternate payment arrangement, provided the wastewater utility first informs the customer of the availability of the payment terms set forth in sections (3) and (4) of this rule.

(6) If a customer fails to abide by the wastewater time-payment agreement, the wastewater utility may disconnect water service after serving a 15-day disconnect notice. The notice shall comply with OAR 860-037-0245, except that subsection (5)(d) shall not be applicable. Such customers shall not be eligible for a renewal or renegotiation of a time-payment plan.

Or. Admin. R. 860-037-0110

PUC 9-1999(Temp), f. 10-22-99, cert. ef. 10-23-99 thru 4-19-00; PUC 6-2000, f. 4-18-00, cert. ef. 4-20-00; PUC 16-2003, f. & cert. ef. 10-1-03; PUC 5-2004, f. & cert. ef. 1-29-04; PUC 16-2004, f. & cert. ef. 12-1-04

Stat. Auth.: ORS 183, 756 & 757

Stats. Implemented: ORS 756.040, 757.005 & 757.061