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Council forgives $1,900 water leak bill amid concerns over aging pipes and system pressure
Summary
Huntsville Town forgave a $1,900.23 bill for a homeowner whose leak was attributed to old galvanized pipes possibly damaged by high town water pressure; motion passed 3-1 after council debate about creating a formal forgiveness policy.
Huntsville Town Council voted June 24 to forgive a $1,900.23 water bill for the property at 285 S. 7200 E, citing the leaks origin in old galvanized plumbing and the homeowners prompt repair.
Mayor Richard L. Sorensen explained staffs findings that the leak was linked to aging galvanized pipes and that strong water pressure might be contributing to multiple leaks in the system. "Those working on Huntsville Town's water system are discovering that the strong water pressure may be too high for the old galvanized pipes in town," Sorensen said.
Councilmember Bruce Ahlstrom moved to forgive the bill; the motion was seconded by Councilmember Sandy Hunter and passed in a roll call vote 3-1. Councilmember Artie Powell opposed the motion, citing the lack of a formal town policy governing leak forgiveness.
Treasurer and staff will follow up about the towns broader exposure: Council members noted the forgiveness raised a policy question and asked staff to draft a leak forgiveness policy for future cases rather than decide case-by-case. The council also requested staff review the systems pressure settings and inventory the towns galvanized pipe locations so the board can assess replacement priorities.
