City Utilities Committee approves changes to water billing adjustments and appeals procedures
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Summary
At the committee’s first meeting of 2026, members voted 6-0 to advance an ordinance that expands water and sewer billing adjustments, clarifies "department error" cases and refines the commissioner's authority over credits and appeals.
At the City Utilities Committee’s first meeting of 2026, members voted 6-0 to mark favorable an ordinance by Councilman Antonio Lewis that revises the Water and Sewer Appeals Board procedures and expands customer relief options for billing errors and adjustments.
The ordinance, described to the committee by Deputy Commissioner Carlos Jones of the Department of Watershed Management, adds new definitions (including a "department error" category), allows one additional billing adjustment within a rolling 12-month period when plumbing repairs are verified, and clarifies the commissioner’s authority to apply adjustments consistently under city code. "The amendment expands customer relief by permitting one additional billing adjustment within a rolling 12-month period," Jones said.
Councilman Lewis told the committee the changes reflect work with the Water and Sewer Appeals Board and past committee leadership to restore transparency and improve outcomes for customers. "There were opportunities to actually help people in the City of Atlanta," Lewis said, describing collaboration with the board and department.
During questions, Council Member Juan asked whether a one-year extension on board-member service (moving from eight to nine years total eligibility) would produce meaningful continuity for a technical board. Legal counsel Roger Bandari said there is no legal prohibition on longer terms but that the board proposed the present change to better match three-year terms and to allow members to serve up to three full terms: "Legally, no, you could make it, for instance, 12 years and 4 terms if you wanted to." Jones also described two objectively defined "department error" cases the amendment recognizes: when a customer does not receive a bill for more than six months, and when the department provides incorrect information about whether a leak is on the city side or the customer's side.
Committee members indicated support for the ordinance and signaled they may consider a separate amendment on term length at the next meeting. Council Member Liliana Bakhtiari moved to approve the item and Council Member Jason Dozier seconded; the vote was recorded as 6 yays, 0 nays and the item was marked favorable.
The committee concluded its legislative business and adjourned. The ordinance was advanced by the committee with the clarifications and definitions described at the meeting.
