Just discovered PWSA has been charging my client $285 per quarter for 'mandatory backflow prevention device testing' on Schedule C-1 commercial rate. The device was installed in 2009 but charges only started appearing in 2012. No notice was given to the customer about this new fee structure. Has anyone else seen similar charges from PWSA or other water authorities? The tariff language seems vague about when testing becomes mandatory versus optional. Looking at four years of backdated charges totaling over $4,500 that may be improper.
Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority Backflow Testing Charges - Anyone Else Getting Hit?
Walt, we've seen this exact issue with Georgia Power's water division in some rural counties they serve. The key is checking if your client actually has a backflow device that requires testing under local codes. Sometimes utilities add these charges automatically based on meter type without verifying if the device exists. I'd request an inspection report showing the device location and last test date. If they can't produce it, you have grounds for a full refund. We recovered $12,000 for a manufacturing client in Valdosta last year on similar phantom testing charges.
Same thing happened with Mahoning Valley Sanitary District here in Youngstown. They were billing quarterly testing fees of $150 but only testing annually. The disconnect was between their billing system flagging commercial accounts and actual testing schedules. Check if the testing frequency matches what you're being billed for. Most backflow testing is annual, not quarterly, unless you're in a high-risk category like hospitals or chemical plants.
Charlotte Water has been doing this too, but they call it 'Cross Connection Control Compliance Fee.' Started seeing it in 2011 on Schedule 3 accounts. The trick is that North Carolina state law requires testing, but the utility can't just start charging without proper notice under our Public Utilities Commission rules. File a complaint with PA PUC if PWSA didn't provide 30-day advance notice of the new fee. That alone could get you a full refund regardless of whether the testing is legitimate.
Virginia American Water pulls this exact scam in Richmond. They add backflow testing charges to any commercial account with 2-inch or larger service, claiming it's required by Virginia Department of Health. But VDH only requires testing for specific high-hazard facilities. I've gotten probably 20 clients full refunds by demanding they prove the health department mandated testing for that specific location. Most can't because they're applying blanket policies that exceed actual regulations.
Great feedback everyone. I checked and my client is a small office building with standard 1-inch service, no industrial processes or chemical storage. Definitely doesn't meet high-hazard criteria. Phil G., your point about exceeding actual regulations is spot on. PWSA's own tariff says testing fees apply to 'customers required by applicable regulations' but doesn't specify which regulations. That vague language is probably intentional to allow overcharging. Filing the PUC complaint this week.
Update us on how the PUC complaint goes, Walt. Philadelphia Water Department tried similar tactics in 2011 but backed down quickly once complaints started rolling in. The Pennsylvania PUC doesn't mess around with improper water utility charges. If you get traction, I have three clients in Philly suburbs with similar PWSA charges that I'd love to challenge. Sometimes it takes one successful complaint to open the floodgates for everyone else getting screwed by the same policy.
Walt, any update on your PUC complaint? Been waiting to see how this plays out before I file similar complaints for my Philadelphia area clients dealing with PWSA overreach.