posted by Dave Troupe on Jul 10 2008

Fire Prevention Bureau has been working on a plan to limit the anount a water purveyor may charge for a fire sprinkler connection for a residence.

Many water utilities are either Mutual or Non-Profit and are membership owned. In these cases purveyors charge a connection fee (membership), and system development charges which are designed to offset growth impacts on the system which requires building of more water storage as well as development of sources to fill these tanks.

These charges are calculated in a number of ways which are based on figures resulting from the annual audit which breaks down plant value.

By limiting what a purveyor may charge for a fire sprinkler connection results in a purveyor coming up short for growth in order to provide for these connections. This in turn forces the water purveyors to not sign for new water availability letters for construction. More to come on this matter as it works its way through the courts.