Section 185.12. Definitions.

  The following terms as used in this chapter mean:

(1)  "Ability to pay" means a customer's financial capacity to meet the customer's utility service obligation;

(2)  "Actual meter read" means a reading obtained by the utility or other party upon physical inspection of the meter or remote outside meter (ROM);

(3)  "Automatic meter reading" (AMR) system means a system which provides digitally encoded information from an encoded meter register. The encoded information is transferred to the utility by means of remote receptacles, telephone lines, cable TV lines, power lines, or radio transmission;

(3e)  "Class AB utility" means a public utility that has more than 4,000 service connections.

(3m)  "Class C utility" means a public utility that has not fewer than 1,000 nor more than 4,000 service connections.

(3s)  "Class D utility" means a public utility that has less than 1,000 service connections.

(3u)  "Commercial customer" means a business, not-for-profit organization, or other institution that provides goods or services and that takes service for non-residential purposes.

(4)  "Commission" means public service commission of Wisconsin;

(5)  "Complaint" means a statement or question by any person, whether a utility customer or not, concerning a wrong, grievance, injury, dissatisfaction, illegal action or procedure, dangerous condition or action committed or created by a utility, or failure of a utility to meet a utility obligation;

(6)  "Customer" means any person, owner, occupant, firm, partnership, corporation, municipality, cooperative organization, governmental agency, political entity, etc., provided with water service by any water public utility and is the party billed for payment of bills issued for use of utility service at a given premises. This definition is intended to create billing and payment responsibilities, but does not limit the need to afford occupants other protection under this chapter (e.g., evictions, emergency);

(7)  "Customer-requested termination" is cessation of service at the request of the customer;

(8)  "Deferred payment agreement" means an arrangement between a utility and a customer for payment of a delinquent amount or deposit in installments;

(9)  "Denied or refused service" means service that a utility has refused to provide to a present or future customer, occupant, or premises;

(10)  "Disconnection" means an event or action taken by the utility to terminate or discontinue the provision of service, but does not include a customer-requested termination of service;

(10e)  "Industrial customer" means a customer who is engaged in the manufacture or production of goods.

(10m)  "Irrigation" means the use of water to sustain crops, lawns, or landscapes, including water used on athletic fields, parks, and golf courses.

(10s)  "Irrigation customer" means a customer who has water service provided primarily for irrigation and other outdoor uses.

(11)  "Meter" means an instrument installed to measure the volume and/or rate of flow of water delivered through it;

(11m)  "Multi-family residential customer" means a customer taking service for a building that is intended primarily for residential purposes, has three or more dwelling units, and is served by a single water meter.

(12)  "New residential customer," for purpose of deposit, means a customer who has not received utility service in his or her name during the previous 6 months from the utility from which service is requested;

(12m)  "Non-residential customer" means any commercial, industrial, or public authority customer.

(13)  "Occupant" means the resident or residents of a premises to which utility service is provided;

(14)  "Percent registration" means the ratio of the meter registration divided by the actual volume or rate of flow, stated in percent. Stated more simply for domestic (volumetric) meters, this is the percent of the water delivered through a meter which the meter actually registers;

(15)  "Private hydrant" means any hydrant whose lead is connected to a private water main, private lateral, or public main where the hydrant lead is owned by the customer;

(16)  "Prompt payment" means payment prior to the time when a utility could issue a notice of disconnection for nonpayment of an amount not in dispute;

(17)  "Protective service emergency" means a threat to the health or safety of a resident because of the infirmities of aging, mental retardation, other developmental or mental disabilities, or like infirmities incurred at any age, or the frailties associated with being very young;

(17m)  "Public authority customer" means a customer that is a department, agency, or entity of the local, state, or federal government, including a public school, college, or university.

(18)  "Public hydrant" means any hydrant and lead owned by the utility and connected to a utility-owned main, whether that main is in the public right-of-way or owned by the utility on an easement through private property;

(19)  "Public utility" means an entity or individual included in s. 196.01 (5) , Stats., which provides water for the public and an entity authorized by s. 66.0819 , Stats., which provides water and sewer service for the public;

(20)  "Remote outside meter" (ROM) means an analog device attached to a building structure which displays the reading of the base meter through electronic pulses sent from the base meter. Remote outside meters are considered part of the utility's metering configuration.

(20g)  "Residential customer" means a customer taking service for residential or domestic purposes but does not include a multi-family residential customer.

(20r)  "Station meter" means a meter used to measure the volume or flow of water within a utility's distribution system and not used to measure customer use. Station meter includes any meter used to measure water pumped from groundwater wells, surface water intakes, storage facilities, treatment facilities, or booster pumps.

(21)  "Voucher agreement" means a payment agreement guaranteed by a third party who has access to or control over the benefits and finances of a public assistance recipient.

(22)  "Water conservation" means practices, techniques, and technologies that reduce the demand for water, reduce water loss or waste, or improve water use efficiency.

Cr. Register, January, 1997, No. 493 , eff. 2-1-97; correction in (19) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register October 2001 No. 550 ; CR 11-039 : cr. (3e), (3m), (3s), (4m), (10e), (10m), (10s), (11m), (12m), (17m), (20g), (20r), (22) Register July 2012 No. 679 , eff. 8-1-12; (4m) renum. to (3s) under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 1., Stats., Register July 2012 No. 679 .

Note

Churches, private schools, private colleges and universities, co-ops, and associations are non-governmental entities and are considered commercial customers. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 For accounting purposes, sales to multi-family residential customers are recorded as commercial sales under to the Commission's Uniform System of Accounts for Municipal Water Utilities (January 2008). Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 The hydrant and related fixtures would be recorded on the books of the utility. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Examples of some public assistance are: Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 (a) Aid to families with dependent children (AFDC) restrictive payment arrangements; Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 (b) Social security representative payee; Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 (c) General relief voucher payment systems; Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 (d) Legal guardian. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1