HOMER -- Though they're not all in full agreement on the fine details of the proposal, Banks County Commissioners voted unanimously to add $1.50 per month to residential water bills to create a catastrophic water insurance program.
Commission Chairman Jimmy Hooper championed the proposal, first discussed last year, saying it will protect residents who have a catastrophic water loss and simply can't afford to pay for the additional water usage.
Hooper said the plan would create an insurance pool that strictly would protect residences, not chicken farms, commercial or industrial properties.
Claims would be reviewed by specific county officials.
Residents who don't want to participate in the program can opt out by sending a letter to commissioners stating they decline the water insurance plan. Otherwise, the $1.50 monthly surcharge automatically will be added to water bills.
According to a residential water loss insurance handout provided by Banks County, the program contains seven provisions:
1) Every customer will be charged $1.50 per month, with funds going into an account to be used for nothing but claims.
2) Any customer, by written notice, will be allowed to opt out of the insurance program. Those who opt out will not have insurance coverage.
3) The insurance will only cover lost water, and will exclude any and all equipment repairs, such as pipe.
4) To qualify to claim for payment, the amount of lost water much be two times the customer's average water statement.
5) Claims will be limited to once every 12 months per individual customer.
6) To validate a claim of lost water, an inspection will be made as quickly as possible by a committee consisting of a representative from the water department, a county commissioner (likely from the district where the resident resides) and a member of the county maintenance department.
7) If after five years the customer does not have a claim, half of the total premium paid over the five years will be credited to their account. This will apply for every five years when no claims are made on the policy.
Hooper said customers will pay a total of $90 over a five-year period.
Commissioner David Duckett said he felt that rather than only one claim per 12 months the plan should be for one claim in a 24-month period, or even 36 months.
Similarly, Commissioner Charles Turk said he thought the county's liability should be limited to a maximum of five times the customer's average bill.
But Hooper wasn't willing to concede, saying five times an average $40 bill wouldn't begin to compensate a customer for the loss of a large amount of water.
"Guys, y'all are talking like this is an epidemic that we have," Hooper said. "This is not an epidemic that we have. This is the rare instance that this person has had a catastrophic loss."
The commission voted for the program as presented.
Turk insisted the commission ask County Attorney Randall Frost to prepare a contract to be used with the program.
