De Blasio Says Water Payment Plan Favors DEP

September 17, 2012 | Times Ledger

Customers who receive abnormally high water bills and enter into a payment program with the city Department of Environmental Protection to pay off what they owe forfeit their right to dispute their bills, a fact underlined in a new city public advocate’s guide to understanding and contesting water bills.

“If you qualify for [the] assistance program and enroll in it, you must enter into a binding agreement with DEP — admitting your debt is valid,” the six-page guide says.

The tip in the pamphlet, published last Thursday, highlights what Public Advocate Bill de Blasio said is an unfair policy that bullies people into paying money.

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