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Home My WebLink About16-20 Utility Billing (2) POLICY Section Policy No. Page Financial 16-20 1 of 4 Policy Title Date: Motion No. Utility Billing October 14, 2025 327/25 Purpose: To establish a clear policy for billing and collecting rates and charges associated with municipally owned and operated utility systems. Scope: This policy applies to all residential, commercial, and industrial utility accounts within the County's water service areas. It governs utility services' billing, collection, and administration. Rate Structure of Bills Bi-Monthly (every two months) bills may include: • Maintenance fees • Water consumption usage • Sewer charges (where applicable) • Septic tank clean-outs (where applicable) • Garbage pickup (where applicable) • Penalty for late payments • Connection and Disconnection charges • All rates and penalties are subject to change per the Master Rates Bylaw updates. Application Process for New Accounts 1. The Utilities Account application is available on the website: www.kneehillcounty.com. Or directly at https://laserfiche.kneehillcounty.com/Forms/UtilitiesAcct. 2. Applications are available in paper format at Customer Service. 3. The application serves as a standard Utility Contract outlining terms for providing service. 4. The primary applicant must be the landowner as listed on the land title. 5. For first-time accounts, a new riser or water meter is installed, and the activation date for the utility account is the installation date as provided by the Utility Operators. Rental Property Accounts 1. Renters may receive a copy of the bill with the landowner's approval (as per the Utility Contract). 2. Bills are sent to both the landowner and the renter. 3. Landowners remain the primary account holders and are ultimately responsible for unpaid balances acquired by their tenants per the Municipal Government Act, Section 41(1). 4. Unpaid balances may be transferred to property taxes under the Municipal Government Act, Section 553. POLICY Section Policy No. Page Financial 16-20 2 of 4 Policy Title Date: Motion No. Utility Billing October 14, 2025 327/25 5. Upon notification of a tenant change, all outstanding amounts from previous tenants will be transferred to the property tax roll. Property Ownership Changes 1. When ownership changes on the land title, the utility account can be updated to reflect the new owner without requiring a new connection application. 2. An application will be requested, but accounts without an application will default to the landowner listed on the title. 3. The new account holder pays the full maintenance fee if the final read is between the 1st and 15th of the month. 4. The current account holder pays the full maintenance fee if the final read is between the 16th and the last day of the month. Outstanding Utility Accounts 1. An account is considered “outstanding” when the County has not received payment on or before the due date. 2. All “outstanding’ accounts will be penalized per the Master Rates Bylaw. 3. An overdue reminder is sent to the landowner and renter (if applicable). 4. Regular bills indicating arrears are considered a form of notice. 5. Administration will notify customers when an account has been in arrears for more than 60 days and will provide an opportunity to resolve any arrears before disconnecting services on accounts older than 90 days. 6. If no action is taken on accounts older than 90 days, a disconnection notice is posted on the property with the date required to pay. 7. Once the property has been disconnected, payment on the account must be made in full to be reconnected. 8. Administration may negotiate payment options before the disconnection date. 9. Penalties continue to accrue regardless of payment arrangement status. Tax Roll Transfers from Utilities 1. Unpaid amounts may be transferred to the tax roll under Municipal Government Act Section 553(1)(b). These amounts then become subject to the tax penalty structure. 2. Automatic tax roll transfers can occur: • If water can't be shut off • The repayment agreement is broken • The account is 6 months overdue 3. Connection/disconnection fees apply as per the Master Rates Bylaw. 4. Amounts that cannot be transferred will be sent to a collection agency. POLICY Section Policy No. Page Financial 16-20 3 of 4 Policy Title Date: Motion No. Utility Billing October 14, 2025 327/25 Billing Cycles 1. Utilities are billed on a bi-monthly basis. 2. Bills are mailed/emailed by the 10th of the month. 3. Failure to receive the Utility Bill does not relieve the landowner of liability for payment. 4. Final bills are issued on or before the regular billing date. Cycle 1 (East) Huxley, Churchill, Equity, Mt. Vernon, Kirkpatrick, Grainger/Hesketh. Billing Months: January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November/December. Cycle 2 (West) Torrington, Wimborne, Swalwell, Sunnyslope, Gamble, Selkirk. Billing Months: February/March, April/May, June/July, August/ September, October/ November, December/January. Third-party accounts are billed as per negotiated contracts. Exceptions to Utility Rate Structure 1. Wimborne: Roll #33262635400 | Acct #402500 | 116 First Ave. South. Sewer hook-up and garbage removal only. This exception is grandfathered. No further non-compliant services allowed. 2. Monarch Hill Utilities: Located close to the Town of Drumheller. I. Accounts: 060100, 062800, 060400, 062900, 062700. II. A bill is sent to the Town of Drumheller to pay and rebilled to residents. 3. Carbon: Located in the Village of Carbon. I. Accounts: 117000.00 | 100 Rosebud Street. II. Carbon is considered the primary owner of this account, and a copy of the bill is being sent to the residential owner. 4. Acme: Located close to the Village of Acme. I. Account: 124775.01 | 294009 RGE RD 260 II. The County bills the account for water consumption and a flat fee, and a copy of the bill is sent to Acme to bill for sewer. 5. Trochu: Located close to the Town of Trochu. I. Account: 140000.00 | 333009 RGE RD 234 II. Trochu bills the County for the consumption used, and the County then bills the landowner. POLICY Section Policy No. Page Financial 16-20 4 of 4 Policy Title Date: Motion No. Utility Billing October 14, 2025 327/25 Cancellation of Balances and Write-Off Amounts. 1. Administration will cancel and amend account balances due to billing errors or rounding that requires the reissue of the bill. 2. The Utility Administrator may cancel penalty amounts on closed accounts with balances under $25. 3. The Director of Corporate Services may approve the write-off of account balances under $250 where the account is deemed uncollectable. 4. The CAO may approve the write-off of account balances under $1,000 where the account is deemed uncollectable. 5. Council must approve the write-off of any utility account balance above $1,000. 6. All write-offs are documented and reviewed for audit purposes. “Original Signed” “Original Signed” Kenneth King, Reeve Mike Haugen, CAO Approvals and Amendments Approved: April 8, 2008 – Resolution 177/08 Amended: Sept. 23, 2008 – Resolution 448/08 Amended: Mar. 10, 2009 – Resolutio15/09 Amended: May 24, 2011 – Resolution 290/11 Amended: July 26, 2016 – Resolution 321/16 Amended: Feb. 26, 2019 – Resolution 72/19 Amended: October 14, 2025- Resolution 327/25 Next Review Date: October 14, 2029