Q: I filed bankruptcy 10 years ago can I still be liable for the water bill I was discharged from the home
A:
Utility bills/accounts are handled differently from other debts in bankruptcy. A special section of the Bankruptcy Code, Section 366, applies to utilities.
Many debtors just continue to pay the amounts billed following a bankruptcy filing, so there's never an issue.
The procedure under Section 366 is different, and enables a debtor to treat pre-petition accrued charges as dischargeable debt, but then the utility company must open a new account for the debtor for post-petition use and charges, and when the utility does that, it is entitled to charge the debtor a good faith deposit, usually two months' usage, to ensure future payment.
You don't say which option you and your attorney used for the water bill, so I can't say whether the water bill was discharged.
Robert Simonian agrees with this answer
A: Attorney W.J. Wintestein, Jr. provided a perfect answer and I cannot add to it.
A: Technically, no. However, the utility company can refuse you service because of the bankruptcy.
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