Winnipeg, MB - The Standing Policy Committee on Infrastructure Renewal and Public Works will consider a recommendation at its November 25, 2014 meeting to authorize delegated staff to waive fees and to adjust accounts for water, sewer or solid waste services within a pre-defined framework.
Delegation of this authority is important for efficient operation of the Water and Waste Department and to provide a positive customer experience.
The administrative report before the Committee recommends fees or charges may be waived when:
- the cost of billing and collection is anticipated to exceed the value of the debt,
- the City’s actions or directions, rather than those of the customer, have resulted in an increased cost to the customer or property owner.
Diane Sacher, Director of the Water and Waste Department, says, “This delegation of authority supports good customer service by ensuring that utility accounts can be adjusted on a timely basis and in a fair, consistent manner.”
The report recommends formalizing the established administrative practices of the Water and Waste Department. The Department issues close to one million bills per year. During regular operations, the Department adjusts utility accounts for varying dollar amounts in circumstances where it is not reasonable to impose a fee or charge. The majority of these types of adjustments are nominal in dollar value (e.g., less than $10) and are a standard business practice for municipal utilities.
These exceptions are documented in an internal audit report Review of Internal Controls over the Water and Waste Department’s Billing and Collection Processes, which was presented to Council for information on March 24, 2004.
The report, which will be considered at the November 25, 2014 meeting of the Standing Policy Committee on Infrastructure Renewal and Public Works, can be viewed by visiting the Committee agendas page on winnipeg.ca.