§ 46-15.3-9. Collection of charges. (a) A record shall be maintained by every supplier showing the amounts of water sold, and the amounts of water quality protection charges billed. The records shall be subject to public review. The water quality protection charges shall be deemed to be trust funds for the purposes of this chapter and shall be held in a separate account.

(1) For all suppliers, other than the city of Providence acting through the Providence water supply board, or suppliers purchasing water from the city of Providence acting through the Providence water supply board, thirty-six and one tenth percent (36.1%) of the amount billed each month shall be remitted to the treasurer of the water resources board on or before the twentieth (20th) day of the second month following the month of billing.

(2) For suppliers purchasing water from the city of Providence acting through the Providence water supply board, for that portion of such supplier's retail billings representing water furnished to the purchasers from the Providence water supply board, thirty-six and one tenth percent (36.1%) of the amount billed each month shall be remitted to the Providence water supply board, on or before the twentieth (20th) day of the second month following the month of billing, and for that portion of such supplier's retail billings representing water furnished to the purchasers from sources other than the Providence water supply board, thirty-six and one tenth percent (36.1%) of the amount billed each month shall be remitted to the treasurer of the water resources board on or before the twentieth (20th) day of the second month following the month of billing.

(3) The amounts remitted by suppliers purchasing water from the city of Providence to the Providence water supply board and treasurer of the water resources board pursuant to the previous sentence shall be based pro rata on metered water production originating from the Providence water supply board and from all other sources in accordance with rules and regulations to be finally promulgated by the water resources board on or before September 1, 1992.

(b) For all suppliers, including the city of Providence acting through the Providence water supply board, fifty-seven percent (57.0%) of the amount billed each month shall be remitted through the water resources board to the general treasurer of the state of Rhode Island on or before the twentieth (20th) day of the second month following the month of billing and shall be deposited as general revenues.

(c) All suppliers may disburse the six and nine tenths percent (6.9%) of the charges collected and retained by the supplier as an administrative charge for any purpose relating to the operation of the supplier. All suppliers shall use or pledge the thirty-six and one tenth percent (36.1%) of the charges to pay principal or interest on bonds, notes, or other obligations issued for the purposes of this chapter or lease payments in connection with any bonds, notes, or obligations. It shall not be necessary for any supplier of public drinking water whose rates may be regulated by the public utilities commission, pursuant to chapter 1 of title 39, to obtain approval from the commission for billing of the water quality protection charge. The public utilities commission shall not, in determining rates for any supplier hereunder, consider the funds billed hereunder when determining revenue requirements for the supplier.

(d) In no event shall any supplier be responsible to collect or pay more than a single water quality protection charge with respect to water sold by such supplier, whether the date of sale was on, before, or after July 1, 1992.

History of Section. (P.L. 1987, ch. 417, § 1; P.L. 1990, ch. 65, art. 39, § 1; P.L. 1992, ch. 468, § 2; P.L. 1995, ch. 370, art. 40, § 160; P.L. 2002, ch. 65, art. 13, § 13; P.L. 2007, ch. 340, § 51.)