The Bella Vista POA Water Utility will not be liable for any loss, damage, or injury whatsoever caused by leakage, escape, or loss of water after the same has passed through the meter, nor for defects in the customer’s piping.

All pipes and fixtures on the customer’s side of the meter shall be kept in good repair and free from leaks at the expense of the customer.

The POA Water Utility may, under certain conditions adjust the water charges in the event of a leak in the service line and/or irrigation line between the meter connection and the structure which results in excessive water loss.  Adjusting the water bill does not extend liability to the POA Water Utility for any collateral damage or loss.   Only one adjustment will be given within a twelve (12) month period.  No more than two (2) consecutive months of excessive water loss will be adjusted. The conditions taken into consideration are listed below.

Conditions (Residential)

The conditions for an adjustment of charges on a house meter to be considered are:

• There must be firm evidence of a leak on the customer’s side of the meter, excluding outdoor faucets and devices connecting to and extending outside the structure, (i.e. hose bib, soaker hose etc.)
• Once notified, the customer is required to resolve the leak within thirty (30) days of the initial notification.
• A copy of an itemized invoice from a plumbing company that repaired the leak stating the date(s) of repair and clearly stating the location of the leak must be presented to the staff at the POA Water Billing Office.
• For a leak repaired by the customer, a notarized letter from the customer stating the date the leak was first detected, the date(s) of repair and clearly stating the location of the leak along with an invoice for parts used in the repair must be presented to the staff at the POA Water Billing Office.
• For a service line to a structure, the total consumption for the period of the water loss must exceed the average consumption for the six past billings representing normal occupancy and usage by at least 5,000 (five thousand) gallons.
• For an irrigation line, the total consumption for the period of water loss must exceed the average consumption of a representative period by at least 25,000 (twenty-five thousand) gallons. Factors such as time of year and average of previous season will be taken into consideration.

Calculating the Adjustment of Charges (Residential) 

The procedure for calculating the adjustment of charges on a house meter is:

• The average consumption as calculated above will be billed at the standard rate.
• The remaining consumption will be billed at the actual contracted cost of the water to the Bella Vista POA Water Utility.

The procedure for calculating the adjustment of charges on an irrigation meter is:

• The average consumption as calculated above will be billed at the standard rate.
• The remaining consumption will be billed at the actual contracted cost of the water to the Bella Vista POA Water Utility.
• In the event the adjusted billing results in a dollar amount more than 3 (three) times the average dollar amount of water and tax charges on the previous six billings, the POA may accept a written payment plan for the adjusted billing only, not to exceed 6 months

Exception:      

Should a POA Residential Water Utility Customer experience an additional water loss within the same twelve (12) month period and that loss significantly exceeds the initial loss, a policy exception to grant an adjustment may be made by management under the following conditions:

• The leak meets all the conditions required for an adjustment.
• The additional loss must exceed the original loss by 25,000 gallons.
• The original dollar adjustment will be deducted from the second adjustment.

Conditions (Commercial)

The conditions for an adjustment of charges on a commercial meter to be considered are:

• There must be firm evidence of a leak on the customer’s side of the meter, excluding outdoor faucets and devices connecting to and extending outside the structure, (i.e. hose bib, soaker hose etc.)
• Once notified, the customer is required to resolve the leak within thirty (30) days of the initial notification.
• A copy of an itemized invoice from a plumbing company that repaired the leak stating the date(s) of repair and clearly stating the location of the leak must be presented to the staff at the POA Water Billing Office.
• For a leak repaired by the customer, a notarized letter from the customer stating the date the leak was first detected, the date(s) of repair and clearly stating the location of the leak along with an invoice for parts used in the repair must be presented to the staff at the POA Water Billing Office.
• For a service line to a structure, the total consumption for the period of the water loss must exceed the average consumption for the six past billings representing normal occupancy and usage by at least 40,000 (forty thousand) gallons.
• For an irrigation line, the total consumption for the period of water loss must exceed the average consumption of a representative period by at least 50,000 (fifty thousand) gallons. Factors such as time of year and average of previous season will be taken into consideration.

Calculating the Adjustment of Charges (Commercial) 

The procedure for calculating the adjustment of charges on a commercial meter is:

• The first 50% of the consumption will be billed at the standard rate.
• The remaining 50% of consumption will be billed at 50% of the standard rate.

Note: If the leak is less than 100,000 (one hundred thousand) gallons, the calculation for a residential water adjustment will apply.