Town refunds one resident $602
Columbus residents who currently have wells will not have to pay the town’s water availability fee.
The Town of Columbus amended its water availability ordinance this week to include language that grandfathers residents who are currently getting their water from wells, exempting them from having to pay an availability fee.
The issue arose a few months ago when Columbus resident Susan Johann expressed concern that she was the only resident not connected to the town’s water system to pay an availability fee.
Columbus reimbursed Johann $602 she had paid the town in availability fees and agreed to amend its ordinance.
The availability fee is the town’s minimum monthly charge for water.
Columbus Town Council directed town attorney Bailey Nager to draft new language during the town’s December meeting. Council approved the amended ordinance during a meeting Thursday, Jan. 20.
The new ordinance reads, “Any owner of property within the town who does not seek a service connection to a water or sanitary sewer main, or having such connection already made, does not make use of such connection, where the service is available and mains of adequate size are in place to service the property, shall pay to the town monthly water and/or sewer availability fees in an amount established from time to time by the town council and published in the town schedule of fees and charges; provided, however, that availability fees dues hereunder shall not be charged for any residence relying upon water from a private well located on such residence’s property as its primary source of domestic water as of Jan. 19, 2011, until the individual(s) residing in the residence on Jan. 19, 2011, cease to reside in said residence.”