BILLING AND COLLECTION

Rule 6.1 Billing and Collection Cycle. The District’s service area is divided into Four (4) Systems with different corresponding zones. All zones shall be read every 1st-5th day of the month. Notice of collection or statement of accounts shall be delivered to the consumer starting on the 6th-18th day while due date starts on the 15th and ends on the 20th day. The rest of the days are intended for disconnection until the end of the month.

Rule 6.2 Averaging of Water Bills. When there is no registered monthly consumption as a result of defective water meter, the average consumption of consumer for the previous three (3) months before the meter becomes unserviceable or defective shall be the basis for the subsequent issuance of water bills or the consumer may be billed with the minimum charge (whichever is higher) until such time the water meter is replaced or changed.

Rule 6.3.In case a leakage is found within the service line and/or inside his premises, the consumer shall be billed based on the actual registered water meter reading.

Rule 6.4 Collection.The Consumer must pay the bill on or before due date of every month at the District’s Collection Offices, authorized collecting banks, and private collection agencies. All payments made shall be covered by a receipt. If the due date falls on a non-working day, the due date shall be on the next working day.

Payment in lump sum shall be applied first to bills in arrears, surcharges, penalties, and other charges and fees before the current bill obligation is paid.

Rule 6.5 Surcharge/Penalty Charge for Non-Payment. If a water bill remains unpaid after the due date, a grace period of five (5) days without disconnection shall be granted to allow the consumer to pay his water bill but with a surcharge of ten percent (10%) of the current bill.

After the 5-day grace period and water bill remains unpaid, the said service connection is now subject for disconnection (on the sixth day after the due date).
In case litigation is necessary, delinquent concessionaires shall pay an additional twenty-five percent (25%) of the total unpaid bills to cover attorney’s fee and cost of litigation.

Exempted from the above regulation are private or government agencies that have special arrangements with the District as approved by the Board.

Rule 6.6 Disputed Bills. In case a written complaint is made by the consumer claiming that his water bill is excessive and overly discrepant with his actual consumption, a re-reading of the water meter shall be made specifically to verify the reading.

If the reading is accurate, inspection of service line and/or field meter test shall be conducted. Otherwise, adjustment shall be made in case the reading is erroneous.

If such meter is found to be accurate and still consumer insists on disputing his water bill, inspection shall be conducted by the District on his service line and premises of said consumer to determine the veracity of the latter’s claim and look for other possible causes for such allegedly excessive consumption.

Rule 6.7 Refunds.The consumer, after a demand is made, is entitled for a refund in case of overpaid water bill or for any other valid cause. Such refund shall be credited to his next billing as advance payment. If no demand for refund is made by the consumer in his overpaid closing bill within a period of one (1) year, said amount shall accrue to the funds of the District.

If an applicant for water connection has paid already all service connection charges to the District and for any valid and justifiable reason would like to discontinue his application, he may request for refund in a proper form with the required supporting documents such as Refund Authorization, original copy of official receipts, certification by the commercial staff attesting to the claims. An administrative fee of ten percent (10%) of the total amount shall be deducted as refund charges.

Any overcharge shall be subject to refund by the consumer upon the latter’s demand.

Rule 6.8 Adjustments. Any adjustment in water bills shall be made upon recommendation of the District’s Commercial Department Manager and/or Accounts Division Manager or the approval and authority of the Board.

Adjustment in water bills as recommended by the District’s Commercial Department Manager and/or Accounts Division Manager shall be limited only up to maximum of 20% of the total water bills, adjustment beyond the 20% limit shall be made only with proper Board of Directors’ approval.

This water bill adjustment shall be effected only after the management has proved that the request for adjustment has a valid justification.