Water utilities tell Senate committee SB 118 would shift landlords’ costs onto ratepayers

Representatives of Ohio municipal water systems told the Senate Local Government Committee on the third hearing of Senate Bill 118 that the bill would shift the financial burden of unpaid tenant utility bills from landlords to municipal utilities and, ultimately, to all ratepayers.

Tony Searls, commercial services superintendent for Greater Cincinnati Water Works, testified that "Senate Bill 118 is an unfunded mandate that would increase cost for all customers to provide a benefit for a small segment, landlords of residential properties." He told the committee GCWW serves about 240,000 accounts representing more than 1,100,000 customers and said the utility already notifies both landlords and tenants…