City ponders changes to water policy

SANDPOINT — The City Council found itself mired in some unintended consequences at its regular meeting Wednesday evening.

At issue was a city policy that allows for reimbursement of excess water charges due to a defect that causes a leak in a residential customer’s water line, so long as those defects are fixed “promptly upon discovery,” according to language in the resolution.

Resident Ken O’Toole found himself in just such a predicament when he discovered he had a water leak in December. Outside was what he called a perfect storm of freezing weather, followed by snow, then rain. Then his sump pump kicked in. On a Sunday, after several days of pumping, he began to suspect something was amiss. He searched, but was unable to find a leak.

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