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THE KANSAS LIFELINE

July 2018

he Kansas Rural Water Association receives many

phones calls and many more emails every day from

cities, water districts, associates, even legislators,

with questions or concerns on a wide variety of issues that

are of concern. Most of these questions can be answered

fairly quickly. At other times, KRWA

staff need to visit the utility to gather

more information and then provide the

answer or give other referrals. This

article discusses questions that many

people have asked. 

T

By Greg Duryea, Assistant General Manager, KRWA

HB 2080

A bill was passed in the 2018 Kansas Legislature that

affected rural water districts. It was HB 2080. This

legislation allows the reinstatement of a benefit unit (meter

or membership) in a rural water district by paying the past

due amount instead of paying a new

benefit unit cost if the back charges are

less than the cost of a new benefit unit.

The scenario is this: A RWD has had a

customer not pay the water will for

more than six months. By the

provisions of the district's bylaws, the

membership could be forfeited. Four years

later another person purchases the property

and wants to have service by the local RWD.

The question that is asked is, “How far back

must we go before the district is not required

to abide by HB 2080?” The quick answer is

that there is no time limit. Obviously at some

point paying the back charges would be

greater than the customer just paying for a

new service. 

Take the example above. Four years later a

customer purchases the home where a RWD

benefit unit was forfeited. To purchase a new

benefit unit the cost is $3,000. Suppose that

the past due amount is $525. Now, add the

monthly fee that should have been collected

for four years after the forfeiture at $40 per

month times 48 months (4 years) equals

another $1,920. Add the two together and the

total is $2,445. Plus the district can impose a

reinstatement fee not to exceed 20 percent of

the cost of a new benefit. If the full amount

allowed was imposed then another $600

The quick answer is that

there is no time limit. 

Questions

Concerning

Legislation

and Rate

Adjustments