Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Utilities topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Whitehouse ISD granted $21,643.77 utility leak adjustment after July sprinkler leak
Summary
Council approved a leak adjustment totaling $21,643.77 for Whitehouse Independent School District after staff determined the July irrigation meter reading reflected a hidden leak; the adjustment was calculated per City Ordinance 19‑0122‑04.
Council reviewed and approved a utility leak adjustment request from Whitehouse Independent School District during the Sept. 24 meeting after staff presented meter records and contractor invoices.
Jennifer Lusk said the district's sprinkler meter at 406 West Main registered 6,993,000 gallons in July; a plumber later identified a leak in zone 2 of the stadium irrigation system that drained into a storm drain. Under City Ordinance 19‑0122‑04, the adjustment calculation requires the customer to pay normal utility use plus half of the calculated loss; staff’s calculation produced an adjustment of $21,643.77.
Staff recommended presenting the adjustment to council given the size of the adjustment. Council approved the recommended amount by motion and voice vote. Staff also described internal steps to improve early detection of similar events, including a manual daily report that can be run to catch atypical usage patterns for irrigation systems that operate intermittently rather than continuously.
The council instructed staff to process the adjustment according to ordinance procedures and to continue working on notification tools to reduce detection lag for intermittent leaks.
