Minnesota Session Laws - 1988, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1988 

                        CHAPTER 499-S.F.No. 1834 
           An act relating to utilities; prohibiting water 
          utilities from imposing additional standby charges on 
          owners of structures containing fire protection 
          systems; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota 
          Statutes, chapter 444. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  [444.25] [WATER AVAILABILITY; STANDBY CHARGES.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [DEFINITIONS.] For the purpose of this 
section the following terms have the meanings given them. 
    (a) "Water availability or standby charge" means an 
additional charge or fee imposed by a water utility on the 
owners of structures because the structures are equipped with 
fire protection systems such as stand pipes, hydrants, or 
automatic fire protection sprinkler systems. 
    (b) "Water utility" means the owner or operator of a public 
or private waterworks, whether authorized under chapter 110A for 
a rural water user district, section 368.01 for a town, section 
412.321 for a statutory city, chapter 444 for a city generally, 
chapter 456 for a city of the first class, chapter 471A when the 
waterworks has been transferred to private ownership or 
operation, or other law relating to authorization of waterworks. 
    Subd. 2.  [CHARGES LIMITED.] No water utility may impose a 
water availability or standby fee or charge on an owner of a 
structure containing a fire protection system that is in 
addition to the fee or charge for water actually used and beyond 
the actual cost to the utility of providing installation, 
inspection, and maintenance for the system.  Nothing in this 
section prohibits a water utility from recovering the cost of 
supplying water to an area when the cost is spread 
proportionately among all the structures in the benefitted area. 
     Subd. 3.  [APPEAL.] An owner of a structure containing a 
fire protection system may appeal to the water utility any 
amount charged that is in violation of this section. 
    Approved April 12, 1988