Sec. 54-16
(a) If the user believes his bill to be in error, he shall present his claim to the town’s utility billing representatives at Carteret Craven Electric Cooperative (CCEC) before the bill becomes delinquent. Such claim, if made after the bill has become delinquent, shall not be effective in preventing discontinuance of service as heretofore provided. The user may pay such bill under protest and said payment shall not prejudice his claim.
(b) Meters shall be tested for accuracy at the request of the user upon payment by the user of a nonrefundable fee as set forth by the board of commissioners in the town’s fee schedule. If a meter proves to register more than two percent of the actual volume, the meter shall be replaced and the testing fee shall be credited to the customer’s account.
(c) If the meter is broken by other than the town’s public services department representative or if the meter fails to register correctly or is stopped for any cause, the user shall pay an amount estimated from a review of past 12 months of the account usage history.
(d) Water line maintenance, condition, and operability on the customer side of the water meter are the sole responsibility of the customer. This includes ensuring that all pipes, fittings, and fixtures from the meter to the home or business remain in good working order and free of leaks or damage. In the event of a possible water leak on the customer’s side of the meter, CCEC will notify the town’s public services department. CCEC will notify the water customer only once to alert them of the possible water leak.
(e) In the event of a water leak on the customer’s side of the meter:
(1) To apply for an adjustment:
a. The billed amount shall be at least twice as much as the average monthly bill over the last 12 months from the date the leak is reported.
b. The customer shall complete a water adjustment form which includes a signed statement or receipt from a North Carolina licensed plumber that the water leak has been repaired in a
satisfactory manner.
(2) All applications for billing adjustments for leaks must first be approved by the Town Manager before a customer’s bill is adjusted.
a. Adjustments will only be approved on a case-by-case basis and when the leak has occurred under extraordinary circumstances as determined by the Town Manager.
(3) If approved, the Town Manager shall determine the percentage to be adjusted from the bill based on the circumstances of the leak. Leak adjustments shall not exceed one-half of the
amount over the average water charges for the past year.
(4) The user shall be allowed only one adjustment in a one-year period.