CODE OF VIRGINIA

WATER UTILITIES MAY ACT AS BILLING AGENTS (§ 15.2-5151)

Any public utility supplying water to the owners, lessees or tenants of real
estate which is or will be served by any sewer or sewage disposal system of an
authority may act as the billing and collecting agent of the authority for any
rates, fees, rents or charges imposed by the authority for the service rendered
by such sewer or sewage disposal system. Such water utility shall furnish to the
authority copies of its regular periodic meter reading and water consumption
records and other pertinent data as may be required for the authority to act as
its own billing and collecting agent. The authority shall pay to the water
utility the reasonable additional cost of clerical services and other expenses
incurred by the water utility in rendering such services to the authority. Upon
the inability of the authority and the water utility to agree upon the terms and
conditions under which the water utility will act as the billing and collecting
agent of the authority, either or both may petition the State Corporation
Commission for a determination of the terms and conditions under which the water
company shall act as the billing and collecting agent of the authority. If the
water utility acts as the billing and collecting agent of an authority it shall
set forth separately on its bills the rates, fees or charges imposed by the
authority. However, both the water and sewage disposal charges shall be payable
to and collected by the water utility, and payment of either shall be refused
unless both are paid. The authority shall pay to the water utility the cost of
shutting off any water service on account of nonpayment of the sewage disposal
charge. In the event of such discontinuance of water service the water service
shall not be reestablished until the sewage disposal charge has been paid.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 15-764.12; 1950, p. 1318; 1954, c. 554; 1958, cc. 400,
402; 1960, c. 430; 1962, cc. 130, 623, § 15.1-1250; 1968, cc. 355, 556; 1970,
cc. 444, 617; 1972, c. 161; 1979, c. 280; 1980, c. 159; 1981, c. 610; 1983, c.
422; 1984, c. 554; 1994, c. 477; 1997, c. 587.