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City Council Targets Weekend Service Cuts Saying No to Shut-Offs On Saturdays And Holidays For Delinquent Bills

Official:Amending Title 13 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Water and Sewer," by adding a new Chapter regarding termination of water and sewer service and prohibiting the Water Department from terminating such service on weekends and holidays for non-payment of bills, all under certain terms and conditions.

Sponsor: Councilmember Greenlee

Introduced: April 26, 2007

: Committee on Finance

environment infrastructure

No one voted on this bill

This bill was introduced in the 2004–2007 Council term and when that term ran out. The public record shows no committee vote and no floor vote at any stage, so no member of Council ever went on record for or against it.

That is not unusual here. Of the 8,465 bills introduced between 2000 and 2025, 1,624 lapsed without a single recorded vote. Ninety percent of bills that became law carry a roll call. Three percent of lapsed bills do. How this works.

Plain-Language Summary

This bill prevents the Philadelphia Water Department from cutting off water and sewer service on weekends and holidays if a customer hasn't paid their bill.

What This Bill Does

AI-written. Every figure is checked against the bill text.

Prohibits the Water Department from terminating water and sewer service on weekends and holidays for non-payment of bills.
Exempts emergency situations from this restriction.
Requires the Water Department to follow this new rule, regardless of whether it does so through its own actions or through contract with others.
Makes this change effective immediately after the bill is enacted.