Policies

Updated: April 2022

This policy replaces all previous policies relating to billing, water use, property transfer and construction, and other related topics.

This policy is provided as guidance for members only. The President has the authority to waive this policy or any provision therein, either in all cases or in specific instances. This policy may be changed at any time. The President has authority to delegate authority under this policy to other members of the Board of Directors.

BILLING

Invoices

Meter readings are done once per year, normally in late April or early May by the Professional System Operator (PSO, currently Bennett Environmental).

Member invoices are based on the meter readings. Invoices have two components:

Annual member dues
Charge for water usage above a specified number of gallons (if applicable)

The Board of Directors periodically reviews the rate schedule and makes changes as needed.

Annual invoices are normally mailed in June. Members who incur charges for additional services (as discussed below) will be invoiced as soon as practicable after those charges are incurred.

Members are reminded to inform Pleasant Water of any changes in their contact information, including billing address, email and mobile phone. Members may update their contact information through Pleasant Water’s member portal at www.pleasantwater.org.

Payment Due Date

Member payments for annual charges are due by October 1. Members who make payments on a timely basis may qualify for a discount, as determined by the Board of Directors.

Payments for additional charges are due within 30 days after invoicing.

Late Payment

For amounts past due over 60 days, members will be billed monthly with interest at the rate of 12% per annum, as specified in the by-laws. Members with amounts past due for more than 120 days may be subject to sanctions up to and including the place of a lien on the property, at the discretion of the President.

Payment Plans

Members who wish to initiate a payment plan should contact the Board of Directors.

Payments

Please see the FAQ section of the Pleasant Water website for updated information on how to make payments.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES

Members requesting additional services should contact the Board of Directors.

Additional Meter Readings

Members may request additional meter readings, because of questions about a meter reading, a property transfer or any other reason. (See below for additional policies related to property transfers.) Fees for the additional meter reading will be charged to the member, unless the initial meter reading appears to have been incorrect.

Tests of Meter Accuracy

Members may request a test for meter accuracy. Fees for the test of meter accuracy will be charged to the member. Members should note that tests of meter accuracy are conducted with a limited volume of water.

Meter Replacements

Members are responsible for all components of the water system between the corporation stop and dwelling, including the meter. Fees related to the replacement of a meter, including the cost of the new meter, will be charged to the member.

WATER USE

General Policy

The Board of Directors shall have the power to direct Members to limit non-essential water usage in cases of excessive demand on the wells and distribution system or in case of drought with a severity of Level 3 or greater. During periods when the Board has placed limits on non-essential water use, the Board may impose fines on members who exceed such limits or may impose surcharges on water usage.

Suspected Leaks

Members are responsible for leaks occurring on their property after the curb stop. A high meter reading that is not explained by usage is an indication of a leak on the member’s property (assuming that the meter reading is accurate and that the meter is working properly). Leaks affect the meter reading and may result in additional water usage charges.

Members shall be responsible for charges made by the PSO related to the investigation and shutting off a leak occurring on their property.

In the event of a suspected leak on member property, the President will attempt to contact the member to advise of the problem and may instruct the PSO to turn off water at the curb stop / gate valve. Members are responsible for charges related to restarting service if it has been stopped because of a suspected leak.

Members may ask the PSO to address a suspected leak on their property. Any charges related to this work will be billed to the member.

Irrigation Systems

Members are responsible for registering with the board any automatic or manual irrigation system. “Automatic” means operated by a timer or other control; “manual” means any system that is left on or remains on when the owner or responsible party is absent.

Members who register an irrigation system should designate a “local responsible person” who can shut off the system in case of malfunction including when it is left on in the owner’s absence. If the Board of Directors becomes aware of any such malfunction, the Board of Directors will attempt to contact the member and their designated responsible person to have the malfunction shut off.

Members must also provide the Board of Directors with the location of the system shut off valve should the member and their local responsible person be unavailable.

Where or when water is left running or is leaking from an outside tap or irrigation system, causing a noticeable increase in usage for the system as a whole, where the PSO investigates, locates, and turns off the leaking or open taps, the member shall be responsible for charges related to the investigation and shutting off the leak by the PSO.

PROPERTY TRANSFER AND CONSTRUCTION

Property Transfers (or Other Termination of Service)

Members who are selling their property (or otherwise terminating service) should advise the Board of Directors of the property address, the date of the purchase and sale agreement and the closing date (or other termination of service). The President will relay this information to the PSO and request both a mark-out of service components (gate valve, meter pit) and a meter reading on the closing date.

On the date of the closing or on another date agreed upon by both the buyer and seller (or the date of termiantion of service), the PSO will record the meter reading and send it to the President. The PSO may notify the Wellfleet Health Department and the Wellfleet Building Department of the property transfer, advise them of the property location relative to Zone I Protective Radius and Interim Wellhead Protection Area (IWPA), and provide any other pertinent information.

The PSO’s charges for these services will be billed to the buyer (or, in the case of termination of service, to the owner).

Prospective buyers should note that septic systems located within the Pleasant Water, Inc. Zone I (300 feet) are considered failed systems and are required to upgrade to Title V systems with Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) approved denitrification capability (innovative/alternative systems).

Prospective buyers are also advised that properties located outside Zone I but within the Interim Wellhead Protection Area (IWPA) are also within a nitrogen sensitive area and are restricted to one bedroom per 10,000 square feet of land area, or must upgrade to a Title V system with Massachusetts DEP approved denitrification capability.

Prospective buyers (who have executed a purchase and sale agreement) may request a consultation with the PSO and may request copies of current/historic laboratory analytical results as part of this consultation. Pleasant Water will bear the cost of the first 15 minutes of work by the PSO, which may include either a consultation or provision of laboratory results. Consultation time beyond 15 minutes will be billed to the prospective buyer.

Prospective buyers (who have executed a purchase and sale agreement) may request additional testing of drinking water. The cost of this additional testing will be billed to the prospective buyer.

Prospective buyers who wish to request a consultation with the PSO or additional testing should contact the Board of Directors.

Construction/Water Service Mark-Outs

Members must notify the Board of Directors of construction on their property that might impact the water system, prior to the commencement of the construction.

In addition, in order to remain a member of Pleasant Water, Inc., the number of bedrooms on any property connected to Pleasant Water may not increase under any circumstances, per authority of the Massachusetts DEP. Pleasant Water properties may reduce the number of bedrooms but must advise the President prior to construction.

The Board of Directors will relay the construction information to the PSO and request a mark-out of service components (gate valve, meter pit).

The PSO will notify the Wellfleet Health Department and the Wellfleet Building Department of the planned construction, advise them of the property location relative to Zone I Protective Radius and Interim Wellhead Protection Area (IWPA), and provide any other pertinent information.

The PSO’s charges for these services will be billed to the member.

GENERAL POLICIES

Members are responsible for all components of the water system between the corporation stop and dwelling, including the meter.

All requests for service from the PSO should be made by contacting the Board of Directors. Any requests for service made by a member directly to the PSO will be charged to the member, unless the request is to address an emergency affecting the water system beyond the member’s property.

Members who wish to dispute an invoice must write to the Board of Directors, as detailed in the by-laws.

Members hereby grant Pleasant Water’s primary system operator access to their property for the following purposes: for annual meter readings, for additional meter readings or meter replacements requested by the member, for any other additional services requested by the member, to check irrigation systems for leaks when the owner is not present, to investigate other evidence of leaks when the owner is not present.

In addition, any member who abuses the right granted to members to make use of the water system, whether by reason of malicious wastage, pollution or otherwise, after consideration and vote by the Board of Directors, shall be subject to such sanctions as the Board of Directors shall determine.

CONTACT INFORMATION

To reach Hillel Gedrich (President), Theresa Hamacher (Treasurer), or other members of the Board of Directors (for non-emergencies only):

Email: [email protected]

Voice mail: 508-514-1182

Website: www.pleasantwater.org

All written correspondence should be directed through Pleasant Water’s Accountant:

Pleasant Water, Inc.

c/o Glivinski & Associates

261 White’s Path, Suite 5

South Yarmouth, MA 02664

Primary emergency contact:

Professional System Operator (PSO)

BENNETT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES, INC. 508-896-1706