What's happening
This bill abolishes the minimum charge for water supply in New York City, requiring charges to be based only on actual usage.
Why it matters
Directly ties water bills to actual consumption, potentially lowering costs for low-usage households and encouraging water conservation, since users will no longer pay a flat minimum regardless of usage.
Could significantly impact fixed-revenue streams for New York City’s water system, possibly requiring changes in how infrastructure and maintenance costs are funded or distributed among users.
Removes a financial burden that may disproportionately affect small households, seniors, or low-income residents who typically use less water but still pay the previous minimum charge.
May lead to broader discussions or reforms about utility pricing models in New York City, setting a precedent for other city services or municipalities considering similar changes.
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Who cares
Headline styles
End Water Minimum Charges
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to cities
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to cities
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 43–19
- Ordered to third reading cal.1393
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to cities
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
End Water Minimum Charges
In Assembly Committee · Cities · Sponsor David Weprin
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1266
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 9, 2017
Introduced by Sen. AVELLA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Cities
AN ACT to amend the administrative code of the city of New York and the public authorities law, in relation to abolishing the minimum charge for water supply in the city of New York
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 24-335 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended to read as follows:
§ 24-335 Charges where supply is metered. No charge for the supply of water other than a meter charge[, minimum charge] or annual service charge shall be made against any houses or lots or any portion or portions thereof where a water meter may have been or shall be placed. In all cases where a water meter may have been or shall be placed, the charge for supply of water shall be determined only by the quantity of water actually used, as shown by such meters, except for [a minimum charge or] an annual service charge and except as provided by subdivision four of section seven hundred thirty-four of the charter.
§ 2. Section 1045-j of the public authorities law is amended by adding a new subdivision 3-a to read as follows:
3-a. The water board shall not impose any type of minimum charge, fee, rate or rent upon any class of users of property served.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00816-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the administrative code of the city of New York and the public authorities law, in relation to abolishing the minimum charge for water supply in the city of New York
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 of the bill amends Section 24-335 of the administrative code of the city of New York by eliminating language for a minimum charge.
Section 2 of the bill amends Section 1045-j of the public authorities law by adding a new subdivision 3-a which mandate that the water board shall not impose any type of minimum charge, fee, rate or rent upon any class of users.
Section 3 of the bill sets forth an immediate effective date.
Justification
This law will eliminate the current city regulations which impose a minimum charge for water service within a monthly billing period as per New York City Rules and Regulations, Title 15, § II B.
On a daily basis, citizens of this city are faced with unrelenting cost of living increases while many are on fixed incomes. The ever increasing costs for everything from gasoline prices to property tax increases to the cost of medical care and prescription medicines are making it virtually impossible for many people to financially survive.
In response to these uncontrollable costs, one of the ways in which people try and gain some control over their monthly budgets is by conserving their use of heating fuel, vehicle fuel, and for many, their consumption of water. Unfortunately, because of the "minimum charge" for metered water rates being assessed by the city, people who are conserving their water use is in effect being penalized for that conservation.
The minimum charge for water service is one of those regulations that makes no sense and ultimately sends the wrong message to consumers. If we are going to charge for consumption, then charge for consumption and do not penalize those people who are trying to conserve their water usage.
Not only can conservation help people on fixed incomes to control their costs, but it is also an important virtue that we should all be adhering to with the ever-increasing demands we are placing on our environment.
Prior legislative history
2016: S.1095, Passed Senate 2015: S.1095, Passed Senate
Fiscal implications
To Be Determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.