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Regulations

Memorandum of Business

Date: 2022/01/13

CHAPTER 1:General Provisions.
Article 1:This memorandum is drafted in accordance with Tap Water Law Article 58. 
Article 2:Regarding those who are within Taiwan Water Corporation (hereafter referred to as “TWC”) water-supply range and receive water supply from TWC, the rights and obligations of both parties (demand & supply) are regulated by this memorandum.  
The afore-mentioned “water-supply range” is according to the range ratified by authoritative departments. 
Article 3:TWC’s water tariff and the rates of other receivables have to be submitted to central authoritative departments for ratified and then be proclaimed and implemented.
CHAPTER 2:Water Supply.
Article 4: Classification of TWC’s water supply includes::  
[a] Domestic consumption–for general public.  
[b] Industrial consumption–for industries.  
[c] Commercial consumption–for trade.  
[d] Shipping consumption– for ships.  
[e] Municipal consumption– for public facilities.  
[f] Other consumptions–for constructions and other temporary uses.  
Article 5:TWC shall constantly supply water to its consumers. When having partial or entire water supply suspension, or water supply at fixed time due to water-supply systems’ suffering from disasters, emergency measures, constructions, or specific conditions, public notice must be published on the newspaper of local area where the suspension is about to happen 24 hours in advance by TWC’s local administration offices, operation stations, or service centers after submitted it to authoritative departments, along with proclamation on the electronic madia or website. 
Temporary suspension is not to subject to the afore-mentioned limits. 
If caused by drought, standards and related measures set out in the “Guidance for matters regarding cross-area water supply and the stipulation of criteria and other related measures for stoppage of water supply and water rationing” promulgated by Ministry of Economic Affairs shall be implemented. 
Users shall not be entitled to any damage compensation, in regards to incidents per aforementioned two paragraphs.  
Article 6:Consumers from where TWC is incapable of giving sufficiently pressurized water supply shall implement their own indirect water-pressurizing facilities. 
The afore-mentioned “facilities” and the pressurized water quality shall be administrated and maintained by consumers themselves.

CHAPTER 3:Application.
Article 7:When applying for water-supply services (including new installation, reformed installation, other water consumption related entries) and termination, an applicant shall fill out application forms, submit the forms with required documents to TWC’s local service centers or operation stations, and then pay various fees required. An applicant not willing to continue the rights and interests her/his previous consumer has can apply as a new installation. 
Fees for implementing the afore-mentioned “new installation, added installation, or reformed installation” shall be charged according to the status of the applicant’s water-using facilities, or the charging standards drawn up based on the tube size and length. 
If the applicant cancels the above-mentioned applications halfway, except for the connection fee and the fee for not yet used construction materials, the rest of the already-paid sum of money cannot be refunded, and neither is the road-repairing fee. 
Article 8: When applying for ownership change, the application forms shall contain stamps from both parties (former consumer and the applicant). All the fees during water-consumption period shall be paid as well. 
An applicant failing to obtain the stamps from her/his former consumer can apply for ownership change alone; however, she shall take all the required obligations from her/his former consumer. An applicant not willing to take the afore-mentioned obligations can apply as a new installation; however, if her/his former consumer objects in six months, TWC shall cancel the ownership change.  
Article 9:For a consumer having received a less-than-2-year water supply suspension, an extra of 50% of the basic charge according to tube diameter shall be paid when applying for service recovery. For a consumer having received a over-2-year water supply suspension or having been suspended her/his water-supply services by TWC for over two years without service recoveries, or having a new exterior line construction done for over two years but failed to activate the water supply, TWC shall make her/his water account registration void. If the afore-mentioned consumer wishes to apply for water supply, s/he shall apply for a new installation, and pay the service fee and the construction fee for her/his new installation.  
Article 10: If the water-using facility requires passing through other people’s land, houses, or connecting to other people’s water pipes, the applicant shall obtain a letter of consent from all the people or the management in advance. When having disputes during or after the construction, the applicant her/himself shall be held responsible. 
The submission of the afore-mentioned “letter of consent” can be avoided if the afore-mentioned “land” is an already-built road, and the applicant has agreed in written forms to be responsible for and handle the disputes regarding the use of the land.  
Article 11:TWC can suspend the applications of new installations if one of the following situation occurs:  
[a] The pipeline has not reached the location as scheduled.  
[b] The local water-supply capacity has become full but not yet is improved. 
[c] Having specific difficulties in water supply. 
[d] Cannot receive water supply according to laws and regulations. 
[e] Others recognized as unfit users by authorities. 

CHAPTER 4:Water-Using Facilities.
Article 12: Water-using facilities consist of two parts, exterior lines and interior lines. Consumers pay TWC to install their exterior lines, and commission qualified water pipe installing companies to install the interior lines. However, some specific conditions are not to subject to the afore-mentioned limits. 
The afore-mentioned “exterior lines” indicate the devices between water-distribute pipes and water meter (including the meter itself); the “interior lines” indicate the devices between water meter and water bolt. If a main/comprehensive water meter is installed, it also becomes the boundary between exterior and interior lines.  
Article 13: For interior line construction, the blueprint should be submitted to TWC’s local service centers or operation stations for verification, and the materials used should be qualified as well. Even the construction work is completed; the water supply will not be activated until the entire work is examined by TWC’s local service centers, operation stations, or authorized specialist groups, and qualified. Water supply shall begin only after passing qualification inspection by the Corporation; user shall be accountable for all inspection charges. All inner equipments shall remain the property of the users, managed & maintained by the same.  
Article 14:When in need of adding or installing new water-distribute pipes so that the demand for water supply from individual consumer in the area not yet having pipelines can be met, TWC can charge individual consumer less that 50% of the subsidy according to its costs.  
Article 15:When in necessity of moving consumers’ exterior lines due to the move of water-distribute pipes or other matters, TWC can carry out without the consumers’ approval.  
Article 16:When receiving applications for installing private fire hydrants, related articles in this chapter can be adopted and applied. TWC can install water meters to calculate the water consumption fee. 
Article 17: Leakage caused by inner equipments, TWC shall repair outer equipments & not be held accountable for recovery fees, if excavation of user’s land surface is involved. All suspensions concerning illegal architectures shall be handled in identical fashion. All inner equipments shall be executed by contracted plumber by mutual consent. 
Article 17-1:If no applications for abrogation was made, TWC has full legal rights to dismantle all outer equipments, derived by building demolishment or re-construction. Upon proper notification to users, TWC has full legal rights to alter water type as “temporary use”for places where water usage is deemed as unavoidable.  
Article 18:Consumers cannot find any excuse to reject TWC’s sending its serviceman (during daytime with a Service Pass on her/him) to consumers’ water-using sites to check water-using facilities, or carry out meter-reading, meter-installing/-uninstalling, sealing-up works.

CHAPTER 5:Water Meter.
Article 19:The water meter is installed by TWC; consumers shall properly take care of it. Except for natural disasters or other overpowering disasters, consumers shall compensate according to TWC’s price list for theft or damage matters.  
Article 20: For the convenience of maintaining/repairing and meter-reading works, TWC can decide the location for water meter installation. TWC can move existing water meters due to change of environment, affection to meter-reading works or water quality, and TWC shall afford the expenses. However, if consumers cause the move, they shall afford all the expenses. 
When in need of necessarily damaging consumers’ land due to the afore-mentioned “move”, consumers shall repair the damage by themselves.  
Article 21:For consumers who share the indirect water-pressurizing facilities, in addition to installing a main/comprehensive water meter, (household) water meters shall be installed in each household.  
Article 22:Consumers can ask TWC to examine their water meters considering broken down or inaccurate. The examining fee will be charged if the result accord with TWC’s standards; otherwise, the examination is free. If the water meter runs too fast, deduction of water consumption fee will be made according to its ratio. No additional payment will be required if the water meter runs too slow.

CHAPTER 6:Meter Reading & Charging .
Article 23:The water consumption is calculated by “Degrees”.“1 Degree” stands for “1 cubic meter (m 3)”. 
Article 24:TWC’s meter-reading work is carried out every month, or every two months, which can be adjusted if necessary.  
Article 25:If a meter-reading work cannot be carried out due to consumer matters, the current water consumption will be temporarily calculated according to the previous water consumption, and settled in the coming meter-reading period. When failing to read a water meter for continuous two times, TWC will inform the consumer and make an appointment via written form or telephone for reading the meter. If the job fails again, TWC shall estimate the water consumption according to tube size or suspend the water supply. 
Article 26:If a water meter fails to show exact water consumption due to obstacles or other factors, an average of the previous three months’ water consumption will be adopted for monthly meter-reading consumers; an average of the previous two months’ water consumption will be adopted for bimonthly meter-reading consumers; the water consumption of the previous month will be adopted for over trimonthly meter-reading consumers. For any exception to the afore-mentioned situation, TWC will estimate the water consumption according to water-using duration, and tube size, or water-using population or other suitable methods. 
Article 27:The water consumption is calculated by consumed degrees and ratified water tariff. TWC shall draw up basic charges for different tube sizes.  
Article 28:When the degree showed on the main/comprehensive water meter exceeds the sum of that shown on all the household meters, the consumption difference will be shared by all the households. However, application should be made with related documents to local service centers or operation stations if there is any arrangement between households, and then TWC may adopt different method to calculate the water consumption fee after consider its availability and necessity.  
Article 29: If a water meter can be used on two different water tariffs, the higher rate should be applied to charge the water consumption fee. 
For specific areas with high costs, the basic water consumption will be charged according to common tariff. The consumption exceeding basic level will be charged with an extra remuneration according to local costs. The afore-mentioned measures should be submitted to authoritative departments for ratification, and then proclaimed and implemented.  
Article 30:For some domestic consumers whose water consumption fee is calculated according to the number of household members due to specific factors, the fee is calculated as 5 degrees per head per month.  
Article 31:If the water use alters during a month, the basic charge of that month will be calculated according to one of the following rules: 
[a] For activation, suspension, or termination, if the water-using duration is less than 15 days, the basic charge of that month is calculated by 1/2 of the original basic charge.  
[b] For change of tube size, if the water-using duration is less than 15 days, the basic charge of that month is calculated by the original tube size; otherwise, new tube size for over 15 days of water use. 
Article 32:If the consumership alters during a month, the water meter should be read promptly, and the water consumption fee shall be calculated by the degrees read on the meter.  
Article 33:When having suspension for over continuous 24 hours due to natural disasters or other overpowering factors force, deduction should be made from the basic charge of that month according to the percentage of the suspension duration.  
When having suspension for over continuous 72 hours or for total 6 days due to the same event, in addition to the afore-mentioned deduction, water consumption fee for 1 day shall be deducted if having suspension for 1 day. When having suspension for over continuous 7 days or for total 14 days due to the same event, in addition to the afore-mentioned deduction, water consumption fee for 2 days shall be deducted if having suspension for 1 day.  
Article 34:Regarding water consumption fee, no additional serviceman will be sent to collect it from TWC. Consumers shall give over the water consumption fee to post office or banking institutions, or directly pay the fee at operation spots appointed or banking institutions entrusted by TWC.  
The afore-mentioned “water consumption fee” shall be paid on time when being informed by TWC. If one fails to pay after the given deadline, an extra fee for delayed payment will be included according to the amount of the consumption fee. 
The standards for charging the delayed payment is that (1) 5% of the water consumption fee will be charged if 10 days (or less) later than the deadline; (2) 10% if over 10 days later. 
Article 35:When having deficiency or overpayment in terms of water consumption fee, the differences shall be settled according to “refund for any overpayment or a supplemental payment for any deficiency” principle in the coming month.  
Article 36: When in doubt after receiving notice from TWC for water consumption payment, consumers can apply to the local service centers or operation stations in 7 days for recheck. If a correction is required, the difference of the consumption fee will be included into next month’s consumption fee. Under the circumstance of water tariff cut-down, the measures of cash refund can be adopted if required.  
Article 37:If a consumer privately changes her/his consumership without applying for it, and the latter water tariff is higher than the former one, in addition to informing the consumer to complete all the required procedures, TWC shall collect the consumption fee difference for less than 6 months.  
Article 38:For public facilities, the water consumption fee will be charged as common water consumption fee minus 50%. The range of public facilities water consumption is: 
[a] Water consumed for cleaning the public environment including public toilets, streets, watering devices and ditches, cesspool emptiers, and garbage trucks.  
[b] Water consumed by parks, green land, shade trees, and public ponds.  
Article 39:Consumers applying for other water consumptions for temporary use shall seek existing consumers to serve as their guarantor or pay certain amount of deposit. 
The amount of the afore-mentioned “deposit” is settled as the 2-month water consumption fee. Consumers can have her/his refund by presenting the receipt after terminating the water consumption.  
Article 40:For temporary water consumption, the consumption fee will be charged as common water consumption fee plus 50%. 
The afore-mentioned “temporary water consumption”indicates no legal documents for water connection has been issued to the location where requires water supply and the water use is classified as temporary use. 

CHAPTER 7:Illegal Water Consumption & Bans.
Article 41:When a consumer has one of the following situations, i.e.“Illegal Water Consumption”, TWC shall suspend her/his water supply. 
[a] Water-stealing behaviors with proof of a crime.  
[b] Water-using facilities or the ways of installation are not qualified, and not improved within appointed time period.  
[c] Reject TWC’s checking the water-using facilities or status without proper reasons.  
[d] Fail to pay required fees for over 2 months, and yet no paying off after a deadline.  
[e] Refuse to install the water meter.  
[f] Fail to improve the situation that the water-supply and water-distribute pipelines are connected to other pipelines within appointed time period after being required to improve. 
TWC shall recover the water-supply services after the afore-mentioned violation has been eliminated.  
Article 42:Any of the following behaviors is regarded as “Water-Stealing”. 
[a] Obtain water from TWC’s water-supply pipelines without permission.  
[b] Have private water pipe connections bypassing the water meter.  
[c] Damage or change the structure of water meters or apply methods to make the meter broken-down or inaccurate.  
[d] Activate a public fire hydrant to obtain tap water without TWC’s permission. The requirement for fire fighting is not to subject to the limits.  
In addition to collecting the recovered water consumption fee and other fees from the water-stealing consumers, TWC shall suspend the water supply and refer the case to the police for investigation.  
Article 43: Those who damage TWC’s water-supply facilities shall take the responsibilities for damage compensation. 
If the afore-mentioned “damage” causes water leakage, the troublemaker shall also compensate for the leaked water. If the repair requires water supply suspension, a operation loss will be calculated according to the size of the damaged tube. 

CHAPTER 8:Supplementary Articles .
Article 44:This memorandum will be proclaimed and then implemented after being submitted to Central Authority for ratification.




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Updateing Date:2022-01-13 16:07
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