The Newton Board of Aldermen will give local residents until June 16 to get their water bills current or risk having their water disconnected.
During their regular meeting May 19, the board approved a resolution saying it will resume disconnecting delinquent water customers as of June 16 after the Public Service Commission did not extent its policy to prevent utility customers from facing disconnection from unpaid bills.
City Attorney Brian Mayo said the city could begin disconnecting customers as early as May 26, but the aldermen wanted to give its citizens a chance to catch up any bills that were unpaid for March, April and May.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic in March, the public service commission suspended disconnection of delinquent customers. While customers did not have to pay on time, the monthly bills were still being charged and would be due when the emergency order lifted.
The City of Newton will resume its normal disconnections on June 16. Payments are due on June 10, but customers will not be in danger of disconnection until after June 15.
Per the city’s new disconnection procedure approved earlier this year, service charges will not be issued until the water has been cut off.
In other business, the City of Newton will vote on changes to the water ordinance in June. The aldermen voted to put the ordinance on file at city hall until the ordinance could be adopted.
