Water and sewer providers may not cut off service to certain active-duty residential consumers for nonpayment, and they must give returning consumers time to pay arrears without late fees or interest.
§319. Water supply and sewerage systems agreements A. No provider of water or sewerage services shall stop such services to residential premises of any residential consumer who is on active duty as defined by this Part for nonpayment for water and/or sewerage services as supplied to the premises. B. Upon return of a residential consumer from active duty, the provider shall offer the residential consumer a period equal to at least the period of service on active duty to pay any arrearages incurred during the period of that service. The provider shall inform the residential consumer that, if the period the company offers presents a hardship to the consumer, the consumer may request a longer period to pay the arrearages. If the provider is a water supplier or sewerage system as defined by R.S. 40:1141, the consumer may request the assistance of the Public Service Commission to obtain a longer period. No late payment fees or interest shall be charged to the residential consumer during the period of active duty or the repayment period. C. If a provider that is a water supplier or sewerage system as defined by R.S. 40:1141 determines that amounts owed by a residential consumer who is on active duty are uncollectible, the provider may file an application with the Public Service Commission for approval of authority to recover the amounts. The recovery shall be through a rider on the base rates of customers of the provider or through other means as may be approved by the commission, provided that any amount approved to be recovered through a rider or other means shall not be considered by the commission in any subsequent rate determination. Acts 2005, No. 296, §1, eff. June 29, 2005.