In service and facilities, providing for alerting residential customers to potential water leaks.
Summary
HB2236 would add a new section to Pennsylvania’s Public Utility Code requiring water utilities to notify residential customers when meter readings show atypical water consumption that may indicate a leak. If a utility determines a customer’s usage is unusually high, it must contact the customer by phone or email, if available, and provide an alert that the pattern may signal a leak, an estimate of the customer’s projected balance for the next two billing cycles if the trend continues, a brief questionnaire (with the customer’s consent) about possible changes in water use, and guidance on finding and preventing leaks.
The bill also requires utilities to offer an optional site visit when the customer appears unaware of any change in water use practices that would explain the spike. That visit is limited to inspecting the meter, connecting apparatus, and visually checking the property; it cannot involve excavation or physical disturbance. The utility employee must document the visit, including photographs, and should obtain the customer’s signature if possible. The bill defines “atypical water consumption” as usage exceeding a customer’s 12-month average by at least 200% or $200, excluding nonessential water uses under existing regulations.
Impact
HB2236 would impose new customer-notification and outreach duties on public water utilities serving residential customers in Pennsylvania, while also creating limits on how utilities may use high-usage data. It would amend Title 66 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes by adding Section 1509.1, and it would take effect 60 days after enactment. The bill would affect utilities’ billing, customer service, and field-inspection practices, and it would give residential customers earlier notice of possible leaks and potential bill increases, while expressly limiting utility liability for failing to detect leaks inside a customer’s property or structure.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes, the measure appears to be framed as a consumer-protection and water-conservation bill with a generally favorable policy posture. Its structure suggests an emphasis on helping customers avoid unexpectedly large bills and identify leaks early, rather than on enforcement or penalties. Because there is no transcript or voting history provided, there is no documented opposition or support to gauge beyond the bill’s apparent protective intent.
Contention
The main points of potential contention are the new operational obligations placed on utilities, the privacy and consent issues tied to customer contact and questionnaires, and the scope of utility responsibility for leak detection. Utilities may view the notification and site-visit requirements as added administrative and staffing burdens, while customers may be concerned about how usage data is used or whether visits intrude on privacy. The bill also limits liability for missed leaks and allows employees to refuse visits for unsafe conditions or denial of entry, which may be important to utilities but could be scrutinized if customers expect more direct leak identification assistance.
In municipal authorities, providing for customer notice of atypical water usage; and, in rates and distribution systems, providing for customer notice of atypical water usage.
Requires State agencies that administer utility bill payment assistance or energy efficiency programs to review, and potentially increase, income thresholds for residential customers to participate in programs.