Customer Service

CUSTOMER PROBLEM AND COMPLAINT PROCEDURE

NSF CHECKS AND FEES

RECONNECTIONS

WATER BILL ADJUSTMENTS

Customer Problem and Complaint Procedure
The following customer complaint procedure offers a reasonable assurance against erroneous customer bills.

Customer service clerks shall handle all customer account inquiries, problems and complaints. Every effort will be made by the clerks to resolve account problems.

If the customer insists on speaking to the supervisor, the clerk shall forward the call to the senior billing clerk along with all information and backup documentation such as work orders and history printouts pertaining to the customer's account complaint or problem. If the customer still feels an error exists, arrangements shall be made for a conference with the utility billing coordinator. If the customer still feels an error exists, arrangements will be made for a conference with the utility billing coordinator or the senior billing clerk and the director.

Customer Service Activities – Bill Payments

ACTIVITY	METHOD
Net by due date	Office, payment depository, mail, online payments, third-party telephone
Partial payment	Office, payment depository, mail, online payments, third-party telephone
Previous balance	Office, payment depository, mail, online payments, third-party telephone
Gross amount	Office, payment depository, mail, online payments, third-party telephone
NSF payments	Office, payment depository, mail

Customer Service Activities – Work Orders

ACTIVITY	METHOD
Discontinue service *	Office, payment depository, telephone, mail, local fax
Transfer deposit *	Office, payment depository, mail
Open new service *	Office, payment depository, mail
Check for leak	Office, telephone, local fax
Turn meters off / on for repairs	Office, telephone, local fax
New installations	Office, Planning and Zoning

Customer Service Activities – Customer Inquiries

ACTIVITY	METHOD
Amount / due date bill	Office, telephone, local fax
High bill complaints	Office, telephone, mail, local fax
Amount to prevent lock; L/O date	Office, telephone, local fax
Verify payment	Office, telephone, local fax
Pay extension request	Office, telephone, mail, local fax
Billing question	Office, telephone, mail, local fax
Copy of history	Office, mail, local fax
Miscellaneous complaints	Office, telephone, mail, local fax

Customer Service Activities – Lock-Offs

ACTIVITY	METHOD
Payment / reconnect	Office, payment depository, mail, third party telephone (customer must call office with confirmation number to be reopened)

Customer Service Activities – Leak Adjustment

ACTIVITY	METHOD
Form must be signed	Office

Customer Service Activities – Due Date Extensions

ACTIVITY	METHOD
Form must be signed	Office

Customer Service Activities – Transfer Deposit to Another Customer **

ACTIVITY	METHOD
Form must be signed	Office

* Arrangements can be made over the phone, if planned ahead, for customers to mail or put required information and forms in the payment depositories along with the required payment,
** Must have signed statements from both parties. 


NSF Checks and Fees
A $30 fee will be charged on all NSF and "closed account" checks returned from the bank. Checks marked "account closed" shall be locked off without prior notice.

If an account is locked of for non-payment of a NSF check, the customer must pay the amount of the check plus the $30 NSF fee plus the $30 reconnect before service can be restored. If the NSF check is not paid, the full check amount plus all applicable fees will be charged to the customer's account and taken out of the customer's meter deposit, if necessary.

There shall be no call-outs after office hours to open meters that are locked off for non-payment of NSF checks. To have service restored on the same day, payment must be received by 4 p.m. on the lock-off day and by 3:30 p.m. on other days.


Reconnections
Lock Off Policies
Waterworks is obligated by Ordinance 91-7-7, Water Revenue Bond, Series 1991, Article IX, Section 902 that if a bill and the penalty charges remain unpaid form the date on which it became delinquent, waterworks will shut off water service to the affected premises until all bill charges, penalty fees and reconnection fees are paid.

 

The water supply shall be disconnected (locked off) from any premises for all accounts that are more than one month delinquent. To avoid lock off, all unpaid balances (except penalty charges) from the prior bill must be paid before the lock off date.

Once locked off, water shall not be turned on except upon the payment of the entire balance due and payment of a $30 reconnection fee.

There shall be no call-outs after office hours to open meters that are locked off for non-payment of a bill. To have service restored on the same day, payment must be received by 4 p.m. on lock off day and by 3:30 p.m. on other days. Meter readers are not bonded to carry money and shall not collect for bills on the road.

Damage Liability
Waterworks will not be responsible for any physical or property damages incurred due to failure, turning off, discontinuation, turning on or reconnecting of water service effective Nov. 13, 1984.

Uncollected Customer Balances and Bad Debts
All bad debts are logged on computer. When a customer comes in to open or transfer an account, the name and address is checked to verify if a past due balance is owed. If a balance is owed, the customer must pay the outstanding balance before another service is opened.

Collection Procedures for Bills Remaining Unpaid 30 Days After Service is Disconnected for Non-Payment of Bill

• Contractors / Developers: A reminder is sent to the contractor or developer notifying them that the bill must be paid in 10 days. If the account remains unpaid after the 10-day period, notice is sent to the Planning and Zoning Department. Contractors and developers will be denied issuance of permits until delinquent balance is paid.
• Parish Employees: A reminder ID sent to the employee notifying them that the bill must be paid in 30 days. If the account remains unpaid after the 30 day period, notice is sent to the parish attorney for collection.
• Customers with Another Open Account: A reminder is sent to the customer notifying them that the bill must be paid in 30 days. If the account remains unpaid after the 30 day period, the unpaid balance is transferred to the open account.
• Customers without Another Open Account: A reminder is sent to the customer notifying them that the bill must be paid in 30 days. If the account remains unpaid after the 30 day period, a letter of collection is sent to the customer notifying them that the bill must be paid in 10 days or the account will be turned over to the parish attorney for collection.

Water Bill Adjustments
Payments will be adjusted for high water bills caused by leakage. The customer must fill out a "water bill adjustment" form stating that the high bill(s) was caused by a leak, date the leak was repaired and the name of the person that repaired the leak, effective Nov. 9, 1990. 

• Water Bill Leak Adjustment Form

Only one leak will be adjusted per calendar year, and only two months will be considered for adjustments.

The adjustment shall be calculated as follows:

• High bill consumption
  2 - [average (5 previous bills)] = consumption credit (gallons)
  Consumption credit x current rate = Water adjustment (credit) dollar amount.
• Water adjustment (credit) dollar amount x current sales tax percentage = Sales tax adjustment
• Customer pays high bill - water and sales tax adjustments dollar amounts
• A claim for a water bill adjustment must be made within 30 days of the due date

Water Bill Extended Payment Policy
Payments will be extended for high water bills caused by leakage. The customer must fill out a leakage declaration form stating that the high bill was caused by a leak, date the leak was repaired and the name of the person that repaired the leak, effective Jan. 13, 1987.

• Only bills over twice the average water consumption (in gallons) will be considered.
• Calculate the number of months that payments can be extended as follows:
• Total high bill ($)
• Average bill ($) = Number of payments not to exceed six

A minimum average bill (dollars) must be paid. The balance is to be paid in the number of payments calculated above in approximately equal monthly payments not to exceed six.

Both the regular water bill and extended payments must be paid on schedule, or water service will be disconnected. If service is disconnected, the full balance plus a reconnect fee must be paid to reopen the service.

Only one extended payment per 12 months will be allowed.

Water Bill Due Date Extension
Customers with limited incomes (on Social Security or disability and are able to provide proof) can apply for an exemption from penalty charges by completing a "water bill due date extension" form. All applications must be approved by the director, utility billing coordinator or the senior billing clerk, effective March 1994.

The customer will not be charged a penalty fee. When the application is received, the billing clerk must attach proof of disability or that the customer is on Social Security to the form. The form is submitted to the senior billing clerk for approval. After the application is approved, the billing clerk must change the appropriate penalty exempt code on the computer(s) for that customer. The customer will still be subject to receipt of a past due notice and lock-off if the bill is not paid.