Page 405 - Keller Budget FY21

8.7 Consistent efforts shall be made to reconcile the total water volume sold to the total water
volume purchased or pumped. Acceptable water losses for fire-fighting, fire hydrant testing and
broken lines should not exceed seven percent (7%). To achieve this goal, it is the policy of the
City that all water service, including City-owned facilities, be metered appropriately.

8.8 Efforts shall be made to reconcile wastewater contributed from customers to those
volumes flowing through treatment facilities. Acceptable amounts of inflow and infiltration should
not exceed ten percent (10%).

8.9 Utility billing collection cycles should be as short as practical and utility security deposits
should reflect those cycles in order to minimize losses to the City. Meter readings should occur
in relatively uniform monthly time frames, and utility bills should be generated in a timely manner
thereafter. Utility bills should be due no more than fifteen (15) days after the customer receives
the bill. Delinquent notices should be mailed one day after the due date. Termination of utility
service should occur no more than sixty (60) days after the meter reading date.

8.10 The City will evaluate privatization or regionalization of services which will either maintain
or improve the existing quality of services, while at the same time minimizing the cost of the
service to the public. Examples of services to be evaluated for privatization are solid waste
collection, engineering, and data processing services.

8.11 The City will provide adequate staffing and training to our fiscal functions in order to
maintain effective internal controls, timely financial transactions and meaningful financial mana-
gement information.

8.12 Utility cost subsidies should be minimized. Cost subsidies can occur between funds, i.e.,
General Fund and Water and Wastewater Enterprise Fund; between utilities, water utility and
sewer utility; between customers, residential customers and commercial customers; and between
generations, current and future generations.

8.13 The City will cautiously evaluate the granting of tax exemptions and/or abatements, which
shift tax burdens, and may also eventually raise the overall tax rate.

8.14 The City will thoroughly review state and federal legislation that will impact City services,
and the potential or resulting costs to citizens.

[Approved August 18, 2020 by the Keller City Council, Resolution #4279.]

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