A.
Purposes
The purposes of this Rule are:
1. To assure safe and adequate provision of
utility service;
2. To assure that
service is not disconnected or refused unreasonably;
3. To ensure that customers of water
utilities are not disconnected because of their inability to pay without being
afforded the opportunity to enter into a reasonable payment arrangement; and
4. To assure the utility's right
to collect proper payment for utility service.
Every privilege that is granted and every duty that is
required by this Rule imposes an obligation on utilities, applicants and
customers to accept these privileges and perform these duties with good faith,
honesty and fairness.
This Rule defines the minimum standards for nondiscriminatory
practices that all water utilities must follow. It does not, however, limit the
power of utilities to give greater protection to their customers above these
minimum standards.
B.
Applicability of Rule
1. This Rule applies to all water utilities
with the exceptions described in 6 below that are subject to the jurisdiction
of the Commission.
2. Any
provisions of this rule that conflict with or are pre-empted by
11 U.S.C. Section
366 of the Bankruptcy Code or any order
issued by a bankruptcy court or the Bankruptcy Code shall be
inapplicable.
3. This Rule takes
effect on January 1, 2012. A utility must submit rate schedules that correct
any conflict with the provisions of this Rule before that date. Any conflicting
provision in any rate schedule or term and condition after January 1, 2012 are
superseded by the Rule.
4. This
Rule applies to the collection of amounts owed by a customer who is provided
with water utility service in Maine.
5. Any Section of this rule not specifically
designated as applying to residential or non-residential customers applies to
all customers.
6. A utility that
has less than 1500 residential customers as reported in the utility's most
recent annual report on file with the Commission is exempt from the provisions
listed below. If a utility is an affiliated interest (as defined in
35-A M.R.S.A.
Section707) of one or more utilities that are
subject to the Commission's jurisdiction, it qualifies for this exemption only
if the total residential customers of the utility and the affiliated interests
is less than 1500 residential customers. If a utility is exempt under this
provision, it is not required to comply with the following provisions of this
Rule:
Section
6(C)
Section
6(G)
Section
7(F)(1)(d)
Section
7(F)(2)(d)
Section
7(G)
Section
8(C)
Section
10(L)(3)
Section
10(L)(4)
Section
13(D)
Section
15(A)(5), (7-13),
(15-18)
