If you own, then you pay

The water district is moving to strictly follow a policy of only billing property owners and not renters.

At their February 14 meeting commissioners approved a motion reinforcing an existing resolution that limits billing to property owners. District manager Dan Bourks said while the policy had been on the books for some time, in years past exceptions had been made. Billing renters directly leaves the district in a tight spot if renters leave without paying their bill, and they have no way to compel payment from the property owner if the account had not been in their name.

“If you’re going to rent out your house, you need to take care of the bill yourself,” Bourks said.