Sheboygan Water Utility
Disconnection might not be the best policy when water bills aren’t paid. That’s a point being considered by the Board of Waterworks Commissioners in light of verbal threats received by Utility Staff charged with conducting the operations.
Disconnection for nonpayment isn’t required by the Public Service Commission and many communities, such as Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay and Fond du Lac, don’t conduct them. According to a memo from Supervisor Scheuren, although the program does recover delinquent funds more quickly, it comes at significant labor expense.
Sheboygan Water Utility Superintendent Joe Trueblood said the Utility is facing the replacement of 20-year water meters and the Orion radio system used to monitor them, and the utility would make better use of disconnection program funds to do those jobs. Trueblood said that delinquent amounts going onto the customers’ property tax rolls could increase to between one and three percent of revenue, but that wouldn’t significantly impact the Utility’s cash flows. One issue that could result, though, is an increase in delinquent payments ending up in the hands of landlords who don’t put water bills in their names, something Commissioner Howe said could be recovered through deposits, additional rent, and more scrutiny put on tenants not keeping up with payments.
In the end, the commissioners recommended ending the disconnection program for 2025 pending review of a communication plan at their upcoming September 16th meeting.
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