§ 28-291. Title, authority and intent.

This article shall be known as the "Hernando County Water, Wastewater and Effluent Reuse Utilities Regulatory Ordinance."

It is the intent of the board of county commissioners (board) that mediation be attempted to settle all disputed matters before the county utility regulatory authority (authority) and the board before utilizing more formal dispute resolution procedures. It is the further intent of the board that all issues between a regulated utility and its customers be initially submitted to the administrator as herein defined for attempted resolution of issues prior to submission to the authority.

All references in this article to Florida Statutes and Rules in the Florida Administrative Code shall automatically include all amendments to all of the same without inserting any such changed reference into this article or in the rules of the board or the authority. The board or the authority may incorporate rules of the Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC) by specific reference thereto.

The authority and board may refer to all procedural rules of the FPSC that relate to water and wastewater utilities for guidance on how to determine an issue of procedure that is not specified in this article, by rule of the board, or by rule of the authority.

(Ord. No. 2002-20, § 1, 10-8-02)