The City of Warman will begin enforcing penalties on outstanding utility accounts by mid-September.
Currently, the city is owed a total of $53,000 in unpaid water utility bills.
According to a report tabled at the Warman City Council committee of the whole meeting on Monday, August 10, a total of 190 utility accounts are more than three months in arrears.
And of those, almost one-third have not made a payment since before February, 2020.
A resolution to Warman City Council to commence enforcement of penalties, including interest charges, disconnection and re-connection fees beginning September 15 was passed at the city council meeting on Monday, August 17.
Enforcement actions on overdue utility payments was halted by the city in March, 2020. City council decided at that time to offer a break to residents and businesses due to economic uncertainty resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a report to the August 10 council meeting, Warman Finance Manager Amanda Rosenthal-Hiebert said the city administration is continuing to work with account holders.
But, she added, without enforcement, some utility accounts will continue to accumulate outstanding balances.
“A letter was sent out to account holders with balances over 60 days in arrears to advise that they bring their account to current, or contact the City prior to August 31 to set up a payment plan to bring their account to current by December 31, 2020,” said Rosenthal-Hiebert.
Enforcement measures that would begin next month include shutting off water for those accounts that are more than three months in arrears, and re-instituting disconnection and re-connection fees.
Interest charges on overdue accounts would not begin until January 1, 2021.