By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
The city of Great Bend wants customers to call for assistance if they have issues with their water meters. Monday night, the city council passed Ordinance 4465, which will allow the city to charge residents who intentionally damage city-owned water meters, meter interface units (MIUs), wiring, and meter pits. Utilities Director Darren Doonan presented the matter to the board.
"This also prevents the obstruction, damage, or filling of meter pits with debris," he said. "This ordinance is designed to protect city infrastructure, insure fair cost recovery, and prevent repair costs from being passed on to all rate payers due to the actions of one irresponsible neighbor."
City staff has seen pits filled with gravel, dirt, debris, or even wet concrete, often in an attempt by customers to prevent or delay billing collections. After Front Door personnel attempt to collect payment for three months, the city moves on to physically shutting off the water or removing the meter. To accomplish that, city workers must have access to the pit. Doonan said his department is actively tracking 10 accounts, with some repeat offenders.
"We're not trying to be difficult, but we want to make it clear, just stay out of the pit," he said. "If you have a problem, give us a shout and we'd be more than happy to help you. But if you go in there with malicious intention, you're going to pay for the damages you cause."
Damages will be added as a lump sum on the customer's next water bill. Councilmember Tina Mingenback noted it could take some time for a customer already unable to pay a bill to pay off the bill plus fines before their water is turned back on.
"The unfair thing about it is, say I break my meter," Doonan answered. "That replacement equipment is paid out of equipment maintenance for the water department, so that means all rate payers are paying for my malicious actions."
Doonan said MIUs are approximately $350 to replace. Cable replacement typically runs between $50-70, and meter replacement likely begins at $350. Those figures do not include labor costs.
Damage, per the passed resolution, is, "Any harm, breakage, tampering, obstruction, or destruction caused by negligence, misuse, vandalism, or other actions not resulting from normal wear or system failure." Doonan said the ordinance will not penalize normal wear and tear of equipment, nor manufactured defects, nor will it change customer billing or appeal rights.