Murfreesboro Water Officials Rethink Cutoff Policy

Murfreesboro residents are asking city officials to revise a new policy that recently cutoff water service to 1,700 customers.

To clamp down on unpaid bills, water officials last month started requiring all bills be paid on time. Bills that are late get a fee tacked on, and if the full amount isn’t paid within 10 days, water service is disconnected. Customers then have to pay $40 to get their water turned back on.

Water Director Joe Kirchner says the policy was meant to help customers manage their bills.

“You can get an extension before you’re disconnected if you say you can’t pay it but give me six more days and I can get it paid. Then we can give people an extension on that, but they have to come in before it’s disconnected.”

Smyrna and Franklin have similar policies; however, both cities give customers two months to pay before disconnecting their water service.

Murfreesboro’s water and sewer board will meet at 3:30 pm Tuesday to evaluate extending the 10-day payment and cutoff periods.