(16) "Protective service services emergency" means a threat to the health or safety of a resident because of the infirmities of aging, mental retardation an intellectual disability, other developmental or mental disabilities, or like infirmities incurred at any age, or the frailties associated with being very young;.
SECTION 35. PSC 185.12 (17m) is repealed.
SECTION 36. PSC 185.12 (18) and the Note following PSC 185.12(18) are repealed.
SECTION 37. PSC 185.12 (19) is renumbered PSC 185.12(20) and amended to read:
(20) "Public utility Utility" means an entity or individual included a public utility as defined in s. 196.01 (5), Stats., which provides water for the public and an entity authorized by s. 66.0819, Stats., which provides water and sewer service for the public;. SECTION 38. PSC 185.12 (20) is renumbered PSC 185.12 (17) and amended to read:
(17) "Remote outside meter" or “(ROM)” means an analog device attached to a building structure which displays the reading of the base meter through electronic pulses sent from the base meter. Remote outside meters are considered part of the utility's metering configuration.
SECTION 39. PSC 185.12 (20g) is renumbered PSC 185.12 (18) and amended to read:
(18) "Residential customer" means a customer taking service for residential or domestic purposes but does not include a multi-family residential customer and includes customers at properties such as duplexes and residential apartment buildings.
SECTION 40. PSC 185.12 (20r) is renumbered PSC 185.12 (19).
SECTION 41. PSC 185.12 (22) is amended to read:
(22) "Water conservation" means practices, techniques, and technologies that reduce the demand for water, reduce water loss non-revenue water or waste, or improve water use efficiency.
SECTION 42. The Note following PSC 185.12 (22) is repealed.
SECTION 43. PSC 185.12 (23) is created to read:
(23) "Written" or "in writing" means legibly printed on paper or, with the intended recipient's permission, legibly printed in an electronic form that the recipient can electronically store and retrieve for future reference.
SECTION 44. PSC 185.14 is created to read:
PSC 185.14 Whistleblower protection. (1) No utility may interfere with, restrain, or coerce any employee or other person in the exercise of the right to disclose information to the commission or other governmental body regarding the safety and reliability of any portion of the water or regulated sewer system, provided that the employee or other person reasonably believes that such information is true.
(2) No utility may dismiss, discipline, demote, transfer, reprimand, harass, reduce the pay of, discriminate against, or otherwise retaliate against any employee or other person because that person engaged in any of the activities described in sub. (1).
SECTION 45. PSC 185.15 is amended to read:
PSC 185.15 Free or discriminatory service prohibited. No A utility shall not provide water service free or at a rate different than provided for in its rates. (See ss. 196.22 and 196.60, Stats.) This section applies to, but is not limited to, water service for all nonutility municipal purposes such as street and sewer flushing, and service to nonutility public buildings. SECTION 46. PSC 185.16 (1) is amended to read:
(1) A water public utility upon receipt of written notice as required by s. 66.0831, Stats., from the property owner or from a contractor of work which may affect its facilities used for serving the public: SECTION 47. PSC 185.16 (1) (c) is amended to read:
(c) May, in order to protect its interests, require that the property owner or contractor perform certain work upon or removal of that part of the service piping from the property facilities upon which the excavating, building, or wrecking operations are being performed.
SECTION 48. PSC 185.16 (2) is amended to read:
(2) This section is not intended to affect the responsibility of the contractor or property owner, or the liability or legal rights of any party.
SECTION 49. PSC 185.17 is repealed.
SECTION 50. PSC 185.18 is amended to read:
PSC 185.18 Location of records. All A utility shall keep all records required or necessary for the administration of this chapter shall be kept within this state unless otherwise authorized by the commission. These records shall be available for examination by the commission or its authorized representative at all reasonable hours. (See s. 196.06 (6), Stats.) A utility may fulfill the requirements of this section by being able to access electronic copies of the original records. SECTION 51. PSC 185.21 (1) is amended to read:
(1) INCLUDED IN SCHEDULES SCHEDULES TO BE FILED. Each utility shall file with the commission its schedule of rates and rules, as required by s. 196.19, Stats. The schedules of rates and rules shall be filed with the commission by the utility and shall be classified, designated, arranged, and submitted so as to conform to the requirements of the current tariff or rate schedules and the special instructions which have been and may from time to time be issued by the commission. Provisions of the schedules shall be definite and so stated as to minimize ambiguity or the possibility of misinterpretation, and shall include, together with such other information as may be deemed pertinent, all of the following: SECTION 52. PSC 185.21 (1) (a) is amended to read:
(a) All rates and charges for service, including water sold for resell to another utility, with indication for each rate and charge of the class of customers to which it applies. There shall also be shown any limitations on the service furnished under such rate, the prices per unit of service, and the number of units per billing period to which the prices apply, the period of billing, the minimum bill, method of measuring demands (where applicable) and consumptions, and any special terms and conditions applicable. The charge for late payment, if any, and the period during which the bill may be paid without late payment charge shall be specified;.
SECTION 53. PSC 185.21 (1) (b) is amended to read:
(b) At commission discretion a copy of each contract or the standard contract form with a summary of the provisions of each signed contract may be required if service to other utilities or municipalities for resale is furnished at a standard filed rate;.
SECTION 54. PSC 185.21 (1) (bm) is created to read:
(bm) The rates and rules applicable to a reduced rate for water wasted due to a leak unknown to the customer that is found in an appliance or the plumbing, if the utility offers a reduced rate.
SECTION 55. PSC 185.21 (1) (c) is amended to read:
(c) Extension rules for extending service to new customers indicating what portion of the extension or cost shall be furnished by the utility, and if the rule is based on cost, the items of cost included;.
SECTION 56. PSC 185.21 (1) (cm) is created to read:
(cm) Rules governing extraordinary investment by the utility to extend service to new customers or significantly increase the quantity or quality of service provided to an existing customer.
SECTION 57. PSC 185.21 (1) (d) is amended to read:
(d) Designation of such portion of the service facilities as the utility furnishes, owns, and maintains;.
SECTION 58. PSC 185.21 (1) (dm) is created to read:
(dm) Designation of such portion of the service facilities as the customer furnishes, owns, and maintains.
SECTION 59. PSC 185.21 (1) (e) is amended to read:
(e) Rules with which prospective customers shall comply as a condition of receiving service and the terms of any contracts required;.
SECTION 60. PSC 185.21 (1) (f) is amended to read:
(f) Rules governing the establishing of credit by customers for payment of service bills deferred payment agreements and budget billing;.
SECTION 61. PSC 185.21 (1) (g) is amended to read:
(g) Rules governing the procedures followed in disconnecting and reconnecting service;.
SECTION 62. PSC 185.21 (1) (h) is amended to read:
(h) Notice required from customer for having service disconnected;.
SECTION 63. PSC 185.21 (1) (i) is amended to read:
(i) Rules governing temporary, emergency, auxiliary, and standby service;.
SECTION 64. PSC 185.21 (1) (j) is amended to read:
(j) Rules governing any limitations on the type of equipment which may or may not be connected;.
SECTION 65. PSC 185.21 (1) (k) is amended to read:
(k) A list of the municipalities and unincorporated communities in which service is rendered and the rates under which service shall be provided. The list of service areas and the rates shall be filed in such form as to facilitate ready determination of the rates available in each municipality and in such unincorporated communities.
SECTION 66. PSC 185.21 (1) (L) is created to read:
(L) Any other rates, charges, rules, terms or conditions of service.
SECTION 67. PSC 185.21 (2) is amended to read:
(2) RATES FOR WATER SERVICE.
SECTION 68. PSC 185.21 (2) (a) is amended to read:
(a) A public utility shall adopt general service water rates that reflect the cost of service for each class of customer and include a volume charge based on actual customer consumption.
SECTION 69. PSC 185.21 (2) (b) is amended to read:
(b) A public utility may not adopt a rate under par. (a) if the commission finds that the rate is discriminatory or otherwise not in the public interest.
SECTION 70. PSC 185.21 (2) (d) is repealed.
SECTION 71. PSC 185.22 (1) is amended to read:
(1) A utility shall have copies of its rates and rules applicable to the locality available in its office where payments are received, and at area libraries and on its public website, if it has one. A utility shall give reasonable notice to customers as to where the information is available to them.
SECTION 72. PSC 185.22 (2) is amended to read:
(2) Each water utility, for every municipality and unincorporated area in which it serves, shall provide in the respective telephone directories a telephone listing by which the utility shall be notified during a 24-hour day of any utility service deficiency or emergency which may exist. Each utility shall also provide the telephone listing by which the utility shall be notified during a 24-hour day of any utility service deficiency or emergency which may exist on its public website, if it has one.
SECTION 73. PSC 185.22 (4) is amended to read:
(4) Each utility shall have available and provide upon request written notice to its existing residential customers annually, and a written notice to all new residential customers, at a minimum, of the rules on deposits, payment options including deferred payment agreements and budget billing, disconnection, and dispute procedures and the contact information for the commission. Such notice shall contain a reply procedure to allow customers an opportunity to advise the utility of any special circumstances, such as the presence of infants or elderly persons or the use of human life-sustaining equipment, and to advise the utility to contact a specific third-party agency or individual prior to any disconnection action being taken.
SECTION 74. PSC 185.22 (5) (b) is amended to read:
(b) Upon a residential customer request, the public utility shall provide consumption information by billing periods for at least the last year and information and instructions needed by the customer to make consumption comparisons to similar residential customers in the same class and to evaluate water conservation efforts.
SECTION 75. The Note following PSC 185.22 (5) (b) is repealed.
SECTION 76. PSC 185.22 (6) is created to read:
(6) At least annually, a utility shall provide information to each customer that may assist the customer in reducing outdoor water use, repairing water leaks, and implementing other water conservation measures. Alternatively, this information may be provided on the utility's public web site.
SECTION 77. The Title of PSC 185.30 is amended to read:
PSC 185.30 Application for residential and multifamily service.
SECTION 78. PSC 185.30 (1) is repealed.
SECTION 79. PSC 185.30 (2) (a) is repealed.
SECTION 80. PSC 185.30 (2) (b) is amended to read:
(b) A If a utility requires an application, the utility may require a verbal or written application for residential service. The utility shall establish a written policy for when a written application is required. A utility may accept an application for service from a person other than the user or potential user of service.
SECTION 81. PSC 185.30 (3) (g) is amended to read:
(g) If an applicant refuses to provide the information under pars. (c) or (d) or a utility finds, with reasonable certainty, that the verification is falsified, the utility may request an additional item, refuse service or disconnect service. An applicant refused service or disconnected because of this paragraph shall be informed in writing of the opportunity to dispute the matter to the commission, and shall be provided with the address, telephone number and web site of the commission.
SECTION 82. PSC 185.305 (1) is repealed.
SECTION 83. PSC 185.305 (2) (a) is repealed.
