Water bill amnesty

Amnesty on late charges for those with unpaid water bills

More than 8,000 homeowners who owe the city a combined $50 million in unpaid water bills are being offered a one-time amnesty on late charges if they pay up in 90 days.

Letters notifying the deadbeats began going out yesterday, according to the city Department of Environmental Protection, which operates the water system.

The amnesty - called a Payment Incentive Program - will charge a reduced settlement rate of $2 per day, rather than late charges, for the outstanding bills. Customers who reject the offer will "be scheduled for service termination," DEP Commissioner Emily Lloyd warned.

The notices are going to one-family homeowners who owe $1,000 or more in water bills and late charges. They are just a fraction of nearly 64,000 residential and commercial water-bill scofflaws who owe the city more than $500million.