Two changes have been approved to water and sewer connection charges in Danbury.  The City Council has approved language clarifying what is charged and what classification each property is.  The properties are classified as residential, commercial, industrial and apartments.  It will bring apartments that are five units or more into the non-residential classification. 

According to the assessor's land use code, these multi-family properties are classified as non-residential.  It's been deemed that residential should have a lower residential rate.  Corporation Counsel Les Pinter says that's because there's more usage and additional administrative work so they will pay a higher classification rate. 

Danbury has 9,500 sewer customers and about two percent of customers properties have to be reclassified.  A recent audit found that 164 customers that have to be reclassified.

Public Utilities Superintendent David Day and he had been hoping to present the second change for years.  The other change sets up an administrative process if a rate payer has an issue with the calculation of sewer use charges.  It allows Day, the Director of Finance and the Director of Public Works to look at issue and make administrative decision.  Pinter says the rate payer will continue to have appeal rights.  The administrative decision is not a final decision, but allows for more in-house administrative review not currently in place.