Operative Text
SPS 326.30 Reasonableness of water and sewer rates. A manufactured home community operator or manufactured home community contractor may establish general service charges for water and sewer service in one of the following ways: (1) (a) If a manufactured home community operator or manufactured home community contractor purchases water and sewer service and resells the service to the manufactured home community occupants where the service is not metered, the maximum allowable water and sewer bill to each manufactured home community occupant may not exceed the lesser of the manufactured home community’s water and sewer bill, plus 30%, divided by the number of occupied lots within the community, or the retail rates of the local municipality’s water and sewer operation applied to the average user. The bill to each manufactured home community occupant shall be based on the previous billing cycle of the service provider. The average user is one whose consumption is equal to the volume of water billed to the manufactured home community operator or manufactured home community contractor, divided by the number of occupied lots or occupants within the manufactured home community. The allowable bill also includes the combination of all other charges to a typical residential customer, including such items as meter and storm water charges. (b) If a manufactured home community operator or manufactured home community contractor purchases water and sewer service and resells the service to the manufactured home community occupants where the service is metered, the maximum allowable water and sewer billing rate to each manufactured home community occupant may not exceed the local residential meter rate based on volume plus the combination of all other charges to a typical residential customer, including such items as meter and storm water charges. (2) If a manufactured home community operator or manufactured home community contractor owns the water supply facilities or the sewerage treatment facilities that serve the manufactured home community, the water charge to a manufactured home community occupant may not exceed the average amount charged for a similar level of water utility service furnished by Wisconsin Class D water public utilities. The charge for sewer service may not exceed 2.5 times the charge for Wisconsin Class D water service. (3) (a) A manufactured home community operator or manufactured home community contractor may establish water and sewer rates in excess of those set forth in sub. (1) or (2) if the manufactured home community operator or manufactured home community contractor can provide written documentation to the department that demonstrates that higher charges are necessary to meet the reasonable costs associated with all or part of the requirements for the construction, reconstruction, improvement, extension, operation, maintenance, repair, or depreciation of the water and sewer system and for the payment of all or part of the principal and interest of any indebtedness associated with providing water and sewer service at a reasonable cost. (b) A manufactured home community operator or manufactured home community contractor shall provide a written explanation of rates upon request of a manufactured home community occupant, and at any time rates are increased.
Wisconsin Administrative Code § SPS 326.30 sets caps on what manufactured home community operators or contractors may charge occupants for water and sewer service. The allowable maximum depends on whether service is metered or unmetered, and whether the operator resells purchased utility service or owns the underlying facilities. Operators may exceed these caps only if they provide written documentation to the state department showing that higher charges are genuinely necessary to cover reasonable costs of building, operating, or financing the water and sewer system. Occupants are entitled to a written explanation of the rate structure upon request and whenever rates increase.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § SPS 326.30, manufactured home community operators and contractors must structure water and sewer billing within one of three defined frameworks—unmetered resale, metered resale, or owner-operated facilities—each carrying its own specific ceiling. Compliant operators keep records that allow them to calculate charges against the applicable benchmark, such as the local municipality's retail rates or Wisconsin Class D utility averages, and do not bill above those limits without first obtaining departmental approval through written cost documentation. Whenever rates change, or whenever an occupant requests it, operators provide a written explanation of how rates are determined.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
§ SPS 326.30 gives manufactured home community occupants the right to receive a written explanation of water and sewer rates at any time they ask and whenever rates go up. The rule also caps how much an operator can charge, with the specific ceiling depending on whether service is metered, unmetered, or provided through operator-owned facilities. Occupants who believe they are being billed above the allowable limits may consider contacting the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, which oversees this code, or reaching out to a tenant-rights organization for general information about available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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