2356

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 412

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article 29 - Washington Suburban Sanitary' District

6-104.

(b)(3) The WSSC may provide for the billing and collection
of the water and sewer usage charges on an estimated basis [for
periods of 6 months or less, but in that case the WSSC shall
require that the meters be read every 6 months, and that the
final bill for the 6-month period shall be based on the actual

consumption adjusted by the previous estimates] USING AN

ACCOUNT'S HISTORICAL DAILY AVERAGE CONSUMPTION, CALCULATED FROM
ACTUAL PREVIOUS USAGE, FOR ANY OF THE FOLLOWING REASONS:

(I) THE METER IS NOT ACCESSIBLE;

(II) THE METER MALFUNCTIONS;

(III) THE METER HAS TO BE TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE
FOR REPAIRS OR FOR WATER SYSTEM PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE PURPOSES;

(IV) THEFT OF SERVICE; OR

(V) ANY OTHER GOOD AND SUFFICIENT CAUSE AS
DETERMINED BY THE WSSC.

(b) (3) THE WSSC:

(I) MAY PROVIDE FOR THE BILLING AND COLLECTION
OF THE WATER AND SEWER USAGE CHARGES ON AN ESTIMATED BASIS FOR
PERIODS OF 6 MONTHS OR LESS, BASED ON THE HISTORICAL DAILY
AVERAGE CONSUMPTION CALCULATED FROM ACTUAL PREVIOUS USAGE;

(II) SHALL READ THE METER AT LEAST EVERY 6
MONTHS; AND

(III) 1. SHALL BASE THE FINAL BILL FOR THE
6-MONTH PERIOD ON THE ACTUAL CONSUMPTION ADJUSTED BY PREVIOUS
ESTIMATES, IE THE METER HAD NOT BEEN READ BECAUSE IT WAS
INACCESSIBLE;

2. SHALL BASE THE FINAL BILL FOR THE
6-MONTH PERIOD ON THE HISTORICAL DAILY AVERAGE CONSUMPTION,
CALCULATED FROM ACTUAL PREVIOUS USAGE, IF A FINAL READING CANNOT
BE MADE BECAUSE:

A. THE METER MALFUNCTIONED;

B. THE METER HAD BEEN TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE
FOR REPAIRS OR MAINTENANCE, OR FOR WATER SYSTEM RELINING PURPOSES; OR

C. THERE WAS THEFT OF SERVICE;