The DEP offers customers a discretionary reduction by 50% of certain abnormally high charges resulting from a hidden leak that was discovered and repaired.  To qualify the high bill must be the result of a leak the customer could not be expected to detect readily, such as from an underground pipe.  Running toilets have been specifically excluded.  We believe it works towards the goal of encouraging conservation not to exclude running toilets or other fixture leaks from the program, especially where multi-residential property is concerned.

Under MCP (flat-rate), there is no cost for being wasteful; all consumption is included in the one price, so running toilets and other leaks as well as wasteful tenants may be ignored.  Customers who choose metered billing over MCP choose to exercise control over water consumption, motivated by the goal of attaining a lower bill than on a flat-rate.  However, landlords have no control over tenants who do not pay for water and lack motivation to fix running toilets, but are liable for the charges.  And not everyone recognizes a silent, steadily running toilet.  Common leaks of the sort have a large financial impact.

Besides giving these customers a measure of relief, including running toilets as qualifying properties for the leak forgiveness program will encourage conservation by encouraging customers to keep properties on metered billing and monitor and control consumption  instead of switching to MCP for the safety of a fixed bill that does not encourage conservation.  The leak forgiveness does not reward waste.  The DEP only forgives half the high bill and the customer is responsible for the rest.