NASHVILLE – Lawmakers from Hamilton County are moving a bill aimed at preventing the county’s Water and Wastewater Treatment Authority from using third parties to recover customers’ unpaid bills and penalties.
Rep. Marc Gravitt, R-East Ridge, the House sponsor, said the bill was sparked by complaints when WWTA tried to collect from landlords or sometimes from new tenants after the former renter didn’t pay the bill.
The bill passed the House Business and Utilities Committee last week and now goes to Calendar and Rules, the last committee hurdle before it would go to the House floor.
State law allows water and wastewater authorities to hit up property owners for unpaid bills. The legislation would block that for third-party property owners like apartment complexes.
Gravitt said under the bill, such utility officials “cannot go back and charge the disinterested third party who was not part of the agreement, such as a future tenant or landlord.”