PAY DAY — A village resident stood at the Mingo Junction Water Department office counter to pay his water bill Nov. 22. -- Christopher Dacanay

MINGO JUNCTION — It’s been nearly a year since the village launched a crackdown on rampant water bill payment delinquencies.

Leveraging the threat of shut offs, the village reportedly received more than $20,000 in overdue payments after less than a month. Now, as many residents’ payment plans approach settlement, Village Administrator Darrin Corrigan reports that the crackdown continues to yield results.

Residents owed the village a total of roughly $190,000 in delinquent water bill payments and late fees as of February, resulting from a longstanding lack of enforcement, Corrigan said.

Like other communities, it’s the village’s policy to physically shut off water to delinquent households. For one reason or another, that consequence wasn’t being weighed against residents, resulting in bills reaching up to $4,500, Corrigan said, adding that blame can’t be placed on any one individual.

So, when Corrigan and Mayor Judy Ruckman assumed office in January, they discussed the need for accountability to keep residents from abusing the system — which hurts the village water department’s budget.

“When we came into office, we both sat down, and we talked,” Corrigan recalled. “It was ridiculous that people were getting to (rack up bills that high.) Cable company won’t let you go that way. Cell phone won’t let you go that long. So, why should water?”

Soon after, the village water department began issuing notices to delinquent households, stating that payments must be made or else water will be shut off. Those were followed by 48-hour notices, after which a lack of contact resulted in a resident’s valve being closed.

“We cracked down on water bill delinquencies to ensure the financial stability of our water department and fairness to residents who pay on time,” Ruckman recalled.

Those efforts led to a few different responses. Surprisingly, the “biggest portion” of delinquent residents paid their bills in full, Corrigan said.

“I’ve seen people come in here and give $3,000 in cash. … Most of the people are cordial about it. They know that they were wrong.”

Some, particularly those who owed exceptional amounts, arranged a payment plan with Corrigan or Ruckman.

Typically, the resident’s bill is divided by 12 and dispersed throughout the year, Corrigan said. Late fees are frozen, but the resident must pay all current expenses and the amount allotted for that month.

Water department employees check their books every month and can see clearly if a resident is not holding to the payment plan, Corrigan said. Once it’s clear that a resident is breaking the agreement, the household’s water is shut off without notice, and the person is expected to pay his or her bill in full before it’s turned on again.

The village, thankfully, has been spared so far from shutting off high-delinquency residents until they pay in full, Corrigan said, adding that such a scenario might require a modified approach.

Even the simple threat of a shut off has brought many into line, and Corrigan finds it surprising how many delinquent residents have put up the full amount owed after being shut off.

“Water is one thing you cannot live without. You’ve got to pay your water bill,” he said.

A contingent of delinquent residents ignored the village’s initial notices, and some have directed “yelling and screaming and threatening” toward village employees, Corrigan said. In those cases, the goal is to be as nice as possible and help the individuals understand why delinquencies can’t be allowed to continue.

Dealing with attitudes and handling shut offs has been a strain on the water department, which currently has only two operators available for the work. However, Corrigan said that dedicating time to battling these delinquencies is worth the time that shut offs take.

“I want to commend my workers for doing such a good job, having to handle all that. I just want to make sure all the residents understand that we’re out there trying to do everything we can to make it fair for everyone.”

By the end of November, the village was still owed around $37,000 in delinquent payments, meaning that around 80 percent of payments — more than $150,000 — have been recovered between then and the crackdown’s onset in February. The remaining amount owed is expected to decrease as payment plans continue.

Pressure from the village also will continue, in the form of a 24-hour shut off notice residents now receive for delinquencies. Corrigan said efforts going forward will prevent bills from getting ludicrously high in the first place.

On a related note, Corrigan advised property owners who rent out homes or apartments to receive a copy of their tenants’ water bills from the water department. In the event that a tenant moves out but has a delinquent water bill, the bill falls to the property owner for payment, so monitoring tenants’ bills can prevent such issues from occurring.

Corrigan said that, since the crackdown began, many individuals who regularly pay their water bills have expressed gratitude for the village stepping up.

Mayor Judy Ruckman said of the crackdown’s results so far: “Seeing the total drop from $190,000 to $37,000 is a huge success and a testament to the community’s cooperation.”