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Committee approves HB 1213 to require utilities to notify customers of large water-usage spikes
Summary
HB 1213 would require municipal authorities and public utilities to notify customers when monthly water usage spikes 200% above average and to assist in identifying leaks; the committee approved the bill after members discussed capacity concerns for smaller utilities.
House Bill 1213, offered by Representative McNeil, would require municipal authorities and public utilities to notify customers if their monthly water usage spikes by 200% above average and to make reasonable efforts to help customers identify leaks or inefficiencies.
Representative McNeil described the bill as a consumer-protection measure to help homeowners detect leaks and avoid costly, unexpected bills. He recounted a constituent who returned to find a more-than-$2,000 water bill and said some utilities already notify customers of unusual usage.
Members praised the measure as common-sense, but some, including Chairman Metzger, raised concerns about small and struggling water companies lacking sophisticated metering systems or staffing to implement notifications. Representative Isaacson and others noted that email or simple notifications are already in use by some providers and urged broader adoption. The committee recorded a majority vote in favor; the transcript notes the bill "passes having the majority of the votes."
