County revises water fee schedule: removes "tampering" fines, will bill actual replacement costs

Beaufort County Public Works told commissioners it will revise the county water fee schedule to remove flat “tampering” fees and instead recover the actual cost of materials, equipment and labor when county water property is damaged. Chief public‑works staff explained that North Carolina General Statute 14‑151 criminalizes tampering with utility meters and related equipment, and that state law precludes utilities from imposing administrative penalties that duplicate criminal sanctions. County legal review recommended replacing the previously labeled “tampering fees” and a scaled first/second offense fee structure with a damage‑recovery approach: the county will invoice property owners for the actual cost of replacement, including materials, labor and any equipment the county had to use. Commissioner questions: Commissioners asked how the policy would treat accidental damage by residents (for example, a lawnmower striking a meter). Staff said the county will recover the actual replacement cost for each event and that the prior fee schedule attempted to standardize penalties by occurrence; the new approach requires case‑by‑case accounting of physical replacement costs. Why it matters: The change brings the county fee schedule into alignment with state legal guidance and removes a punitive second‑offense fee the county attorney advised could be inconsistent with statute. Ending: The board approved the revised fee schedule; staff said other fees remain unchanged and the public will be charged replacement costs when county water property is damaged.