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Infrastructure committee approves three large sewer-abatement requests totaling about $26,973
Summary
Bangor’s infrastructure committee approved three sewer-bill abatements—two for nonresidential properties and one for a home—after staff said supporting documentation showed inadvertent water loss and remedial repairs.
Bangor City Infrastructure Committee on Monday approved three sewer-bill abatements above the department’s $3,000 administrative threshold after staff presented documentation showing inadvertent water loss and proof the problems were fixed.
The abatements matter because they reduce past sewer charges billed to property owners; the committee reviews abatements over $3,000 before they are finalized. Amanda Smith, director of water quality management, told the committee the abatements are intended for “inadvertent water loss generally, that doesn't make its way to the sewer.”
Smith said the department calculates abatement amounts by comparing the affected quarter to a customer’s previous four quarters (one year) of usage. “In this case, that would be an abatement of $13,412.72,” she said, referring to the largest claim. Smith also noted the most common causes are leaking toilets, and offered a basic check: add food coloring to a toilet tank and watch for colored water in the bowl to detect a leak.
Committee members moved and seconded approval of each of the three abatements. The three approved abatements discussed at the meeting were: - 18 North High Street — abatement amount $13,412.72; cause listed as a leaking expansion tank; department recommended approval after reviewing supporting documentation. - 1343 Ohio Street (Rainbow Mobile Home Park) — abatement amount $7,294.42; cause listed as a broken water line outside the meter; department reported usage returned to normal on the following quarter’s meter reading. - 515 Main Street (Cross Insurance Center) — abatement amount $6,266.74; cause listed as a faulty pressure-relief valve; department recommended approval.
Smith said the department brings abatements under $3,000 to internal review twice a year and takes abatements above $3,000 to the committee for approval. She reiterated that customers must show the cause of loss and proof the problem was remedied; billing is based on quarterly readings from the water district, so final abatement amounts depend on subsequent meter data.
The committee’s action was limited to approving the three individual abatements; members did not change ordinance language at the meeting. Committee chair Councilor Dean and members present moved and seconded the three items; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript.
