We will send you a written copy of the payment arrangements.

If you do not make payments according to a written payment plan, we can send you a disconnection notice that gives you three (3) business days to pay the full overdue amount. We are not required to make a second arrangement, but we will try to respond to your particular situation.

You do not have to agree to a payment plan or any other proposed settlement of a dispute if doing so means giving up other Rights listed in this booklet.

We don’t want to disconnect your service. We will work with you to resolve any problem. However, if a customer refuses to cooperate, we have the right to start disconnection procedures when:

We will not disconnect if you or a doctor notify us of a medical emergency. (see page # ??? of this booklet)

If you are a tenant and if your landlord asks us to disconnect or if your landlord does not pay your bill, we will issue you a notice and opportunity to put service in your own name. You do not have to pay the landlord’s unpaid bill.

We must reconnect service again promptly, during the business hours on the same day you ask, or at the latest during the next business day, provided you have paid your overdue bill or have agreed to a payment plan. This payment plan will be based on our previous payment history. We can also charge you a deposit equal to two (2) month’s service if you are disconnected for nonpayment, unauthorized use or theft of service. When both a deposit and the unpaid bill are required, you can pay the smaller amount in full and enter a payment plan on the larger amount. We will charge you fifteen dollars ($ 15.00) for reconnection during regular business hours and reconnection at other times will be billed at cost.

We will not disconnect service or refuse to reconnect it when you or someone in your house is seriously ill, provided a registered physician confirms that an emergency exists. If you cannot get a physician to call right away, you may let us know yourself. We will wait three (3) work days for the doctor to contact us. We can require written certification from the doctor, including specific reasons why service is necessary and how long the emergency may last. Disconnection can be postponed due to a medical emergency for up to thirty (30) days, and can be renewed up to ninety (90) days.

A medical emergency does not cancel the bill. We will refer you to financial assistance agencies and ask you to negotiate a reasonable payment plan.

We need to interrupt your service on occasion to repair or maintain our equipment. When possible, we will let you know why and how long you can expect to be without service.

If we plan to interrupt service to more than ten (10) customers or for more then three (3) hours, we must give you at least twenty four (24) hours notice. We will give you more notice whenever possible. If your service must be interrupted without notice for more than three (3) hours due to storms or other emergencies, we will try to let you know as soon as possible how long you are likely to be without service.

If a customer so requests, the District shall make a pro-rata reduction in the customer’s rates if service is interrupted for longer than forty eight (48) hours if the interruption is not the customer’s fault. The reduction shall be applied only to the minimum bill. The District may make this adjustment on the next bill.

If being without service would pose a danger to any member of your household (presence of life support system, for example), notify us. We will put you on a priority list to restore service as soon as possible.

Claims for damages may be filed at the office of the Kittery Water District.

The District will not be responsible for damage caused by discolored or unsatisfactory water service which may be occasioned by cleaning of pipes, reservoirs or standpipes, or the opening or closing of any valves or hydrants, or any abnormal condition, unless caused by the lack of reasonable care on the part of the utility. The District will not be responsible for meeting unusually high water quality standards for specialized or industrial customers.

If you have any questions or complaints, call us! We will have at least one (1) employee available during business hours to answer your questions, set up payment plans and resolve disputes. We will investigate your complaint and try to resolve it.

If you disagree with our answer, you have a right to appeal to the Consumer Assistance Division (CAD), of the Maine Public Utilities Commission, State House Station 18, Augusta, Maine 04333. You can call the C.A.D. at 289-3831 or toll free at 1-800-542-4699. Before you call or write the Commission you must give us a chance to respond to your complaint.

We cannot disconnect you for a disputed amount, but you do have to pay the portion of the bill that is not in dispute. If you contact us before the service is disconnected and we cannot agree on a payment plan or other requirement to stop disconnection, you can appeal to the MPUC as described above.

The following rules and regulations made by the Kittery Water District, upon application for or acceptance of service, constitute a contract between the customer and the utility, and the customer will be considered to express his consent to be bound thereby, and to take water only for purposes stated in the application and at the established rates.

The word "utility" refers to the Kittery Water District. The word "customer" shall be taken to mean any person, firm, corporation, government, or governmental division who has applied for and is granted service or who is responsible for payment for the service.

The word "main" means a water pipe, owned, operated and maintained by a utility, which is used for the purpose of transmission or distribution of water but is not a water service pipe.

The words "service pipe" refer to the pipe running from the main to the premises of the customer.

Applications for service are to be made at the office of the District on forms which will be provided by the District. Such applications made be made by either the owner or occupant of the premises. If the rendering of service requires a new service connection, or other work on the owner’s premises, and the application is made by the occupant of the premises, he must present to the utility a permit in writing from the owner authorizing the utility to enter the premises to do the necessary work.

Employees of the District having proper identification shall have free access to all premises supplied with water, at all reasonable hours to permit the inspection of plumbing and fixtures, to set, remove or read meters, to ascertain the amount of water used and manner of use, and to enforce these Rules and Regulations.

No customer shall supply water to another, nor shall he use it for any purposes not mentioned in his application without District approval. No person shall obtain water from any hydrant or other fixture of the utility without the previous consent of the utility.

When necessary to conserve the water supply, the District may restrict or prohibit the use of hoses and sprinklers.

Every service must be provided with an operable stop and waste valve located inside the building near the service entrance, easily accessible, and protected from freezing. All services shall have a double check valve to prevent back-flow. All double check valves are to be approved by the Kittery Water District.

No cross connection between the public water supply system and any other supply will be allowed unless properly protected in accordance with the directives and rules of the State Bureau of Health, and no new cross connection may be installed without the approval of said Bureau and the District. In addition, no connection capable of causing back flow between the public water supply system and any plumbing fixture, device or appliance, or between any waste outlet or pipe having direct connection to waste drains will be permitted. If the owner of such a connection fails or refuses to break or properly protect the connection within a time limit specified by the District, service shall be discontinued.

No customer shall install or use water consumption apparatus which will affect the District’s pressure or operating conditions so as to interfere with the service of another customer. Where a customer has or proposes to install apparatus which requires water in sudden and/or material quantities, impairing the pressure to the detriment, damage, or disadvantage of other customers, the District reserves the right to require such customer to install devices or apparatus which will confine such fluctuation of demand or reduction of pressure within reasonable limits determined by the utility.

If the customer, after receiving written notice from the District, fails to present an acceptable remedial plan within a time limit set by the District, service will be discontinued pursuant to provisions of the applicable disconnection rules.

All customers having direct pressure water devices, including but not limited to hot water tanks or secondary systems supplied by automatic feed valves, should have installed and maintained in operating condition appropriate vacuum, temperature, and pressure relief valves or cutouts in the water system and/or secondary system to prevent damage to the water device or secondary system or their appurtenances should it become necessary to shut off the water main or service or should an abnormal pressure or pressure failure occur for any other reason. Water service supplied to any customer not providing such protective devices will be strictly at the risk of the customer, and the utility will not be liable for damage resulting from the lack of or failure of such protective devices.

To prevent leaks and damage, all customers shall maintain at their own expense the plumbing and fixtures within their own premises in good repair and protect them from freezing.

Water service pipes will not be placed in the same trench with other utility facilities and where possible a horizontal separation of ten feet shall be provided.

If additional or auxiliary meters are desired by the customer for showing subdivision of the supply, he shall furnish, install, read and maintain them at his own expense.

No new service or extension of mains will be installed during winter conditions.

Where there is more than one (1) occupant of a building supplied with water, the plumbing must be so arranged by the owner as to permit separate connections with shutoffs and meters in locations acceptable to the District, for each place of business or abode, unless the owner of the premises makes application for services and thereupon assumes responsibility for payment of all charges for water service rendered to the property.

Whenever the utility undertakes to do work for a customer at his expense, applications for such work shall be made in writing on forms provided by the utility. A deposit may be required equal to the District’s estimated cost of the work and for which deposit the customer will be given a receipt. At the completion of the work, a bill will be rendered. Unless the work is done on a flat rate basis, any excess deposit will be returned, and any amount due in excess of deposit will be payable.

Temporary shutoff and resumption of service outside of normal working hours and for the convenience of the customer will be considered utility jobbing and will be charged to the customer.

Fire Hydrants may not be used for any purpose other than the extinguishment of fires. In no case shall fire hydrants be opened by any person other than an agent of the District.

Customers desiring private fire protection should first consult with the utility as to the nature of service available. Such service will be rendered in accordance with applicable rules of the Maine Public Utilities Commission and the District, and the provisions of rate schedules in effect.

Public and private fire protection charges shall be due and payable in advance, each year, on an annual, quarterly or monthly basis.

There shall be no tampering with District property. No valve, shutoff, hydrant or standpipe, which is the property of the District, will be opened or closed or otherwise operated, by other than persons authorized by the District.

All plans for approval by the Kittery Water District shall be in the District’s office two weeks in advance of approval.