To the Editor:

I believe people need to know that Rome Water Utility has the discretion to charge you once if your land is side by side but they insist to charge you for both parcels unless you combine the two.

This is not right. My parcels are side by side and I should not have to be forced to put the two together to pay once. That’s a new survey and lost of fair market value — I even paid to have both lots perk tested.

I feel like they’re using the law inappropriately for only their best interest. Forcing me to pay $48.80 for both lots that are a acre and a half a piece a year that are side by side.

The law states they don’t have to but they do anyway.

Jeff Raddattz,
Wisconsin Rapids

A part of the statute referred to in this letter is below.

196.03 Utility charges and service; reasonable and adequate.

196.03(1)
(1) Subject to s. 196.63, a public utility shall furnish reasonably adequate service and facilities. The charge made by any public utility for any heat, light, water, telecommunications service or power produced, transmitted, delivered or furnished or for any service rendered or to be rendered in connection therewith shall be reasonable and just and every unjust or unreasonable charge for such service is prohibited and declared unlawful.

196.03(2)
(2) For rate-making purposes the commission may consider 2 or more municipalities as a regional unit if the same public utility serves the municipalities and if the commission determines that the public interest so requires.

196.03(3)
(3)
196.03(3)(a)
(a) In the case of a public utility furnishing water, the commission shall include, in the determination of water rates, the cost of fluoridating the water in the area served by the public utility furnishing water if the governing body of the city, village or town which owns or is served by the public utility furnishing water authorizes the fluoridation of water by the public utility furnishing water.

196.03(3)(b)
(b) (intro.) Unless the governing body of a city, village or town adopts a resolution providing that the city, village or town will pay the retail charges for the production, storage, transmission, sale and delivery or furnishing of water for public fire protection purposes that are not included in general service charges:

196.03(3)(b)1.
1. A public utility shall include the charges in the water utility bill of each customer of the public utility in the city, village or town.
196.03(3)(b)2.
2. (intro.) A municipal utility may, in addition to including the charges in water utility bills under subd. 1., bill the charges to any person who meets all of the following conditions:

196.03(3)(b)2.a.
a. The person is not a customer of the municipal utility.
196.03(3)(b)2.b.
b. The person owns land that is located in the city, village or town and in an area in which the municipal utility has an obligation to provide water for public fire protection. If the person owns 2 or more parcels that are adjacent to each other or divided only by a roadway or brook, creek, river, or stream, the municipality may bill the person for only one parcel.