Vermont Statutes Title 24 Sec. 5152
Terms Used In Vermont Statutes Title 24 Sec. 5152
- Domestic: when applied to a corporation, company, association, or copartnership shall mean organized under the laws of this State; "foreign" when so applied, shall mean organized under the laws of another state, government, or country. See
- Municipality: shall include a city, town, town school district, incorporated school or fire district or incorporated village, and all other governmental incorporated units. See
- Person: shall include any natural person, corporation, municipality, the State of Vermont or any department, agency, or subdivision of the State, and any partnership, unincorporated association, or other legal entity. See
- State: when applied to the different parts of the United States may apply to the District of Columbia and any territory and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. See
§ 5152. Disconnections prohibited; state of emergency
(a) Notwithstanding this chapter or any provision of law to the contrary, a municipality; a person who is permitted as a public water system pursuant to 10 Vt. Stat. Ann. chapter 56 and who provides another person water as a part of the operation of that public water system; or a company engaged in the collecting, sale, and distribution of water for domestic, industrial, business, or fire protection purposes that is regulated by the Public Utility Commission under 30 V.S.A. § 203(3) shall be prohibited from disconnecting any person from services during a declared state of emergency under 20 Vt. Stat. Ann. chapter 1, provided that:
(1) the state of emergency is declared in response to an all-hazards event that will cause financial hardship and the inability of ratepayers to pay for water or sewer services; and
(2) the all-hazards event does not require the water or sewer service provider to disconnect services to protect the health and safety of the public.
(b) A person or company that is subject to subsection (a) of this section may temporarily disconnect water or sewer services during the declared state of emergency when the temporary disconnection is necessary for the maintenance or repair of the water or sewer system.
(c)(1) A violation of subsection (a) of this section by a municipality or a person who is permitted as a public water system pursuant to 10 Vt. Stat. Ann. chapter 56 may be enforced by the Agency of Natural Resources pursuant to 10 Vt. Stat. Ann. chapter 201.
(2) A violation of subsection (a) of this section by a company engaged in the collecting, sale, and distribution of water for domestic, industrial, business, or fire protection purposes that is regulated by the Public Utility Commission under 30 V.S.A. § 203(3) may be enforced by the Public Utility Commission pursuant to 30 V.S.A. § 30.
(d) A ratepayer shall remain obligated for any amounts due to a water or sewer service provider subject to this section. The ratepayer shall have a minimum of 90 days after the end of the declared state of emergency to pay the amounts due. (Added 2021, No. 157 (Adj. Sess.), § 11, eff. July 1, 2022.)