Operative Text
101.937 Water and sewer service to manufactured home communities. (1) Rules. The department shall promulgate rules that establish standards for providing water or sewer service by a manufactured home community operator or manufactured home community contractor to a manufactured home community occupant, including requirements for metering, billing, depositing, arranging deferred payment, installing service, refusing or discontinuing service, and resolving disputes with respect to service. Rules promulgated under this subsection shall ensure that any charge for water or sewer service is reasonable and not unjustly discriminatory, that the water or sewer service is reasonably adequate, and that any practice relating to providing the service is just and reasonable. (2) Permanent improvements. A manufactured home community operator may make a reasonable recovery of capital costs for permanent improvements related to the provision of water or sewer service to manufactured home community occupants through ongoing rates for water or sewer service. (3) Enforcement. (a) On its own motion or upon a complaint filed by a manufactured home community occupant, the department may issue an order or commence a civil action against a manufactured home community operator or manufactured home community contractor to enforce this section, any rule promulgated under sub. (1), or any order issued under this paragraph. (b) The department of justice, after consulting with the department, or any district attorney may commence an action in circuit court to enforce this section. (4) Private cause of action. Any person suffering pecuniary loss because of a violation of any rule promulgated under sub. (1) or order issued under sub. (3) (a) may sue for damages and shall recover twice the amount of any pecuniary loss, together with costs, and, notwithstanding s. 814.04 (1), reasonable attorney fees. (5) Penalties. (a) Any person who violates any rule promulgated under sub. (1) or any order issued under sub. (3) (a) shall forfeit not less than $25 nor more than $5,000. Each violation and each day of violation constitutes a separate offense. (b) Any person who intentionally violates any rule promulgated under sub. (1) or order issued under sub. (3) (a) shall be fined not less than $25 nor more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than one year in the county jail or both. Each violation and each day of violation constitutes a separate offense.
Wisconsin Statute § 101.937 governs how manufactured home community operators and contractors must provide water and sewer service to community occupants. The law directs the state department to create rules covering metering, billing, deposits, deferred payment, installation, service refusals or disconnections, and dispute resolution, with the overarching requirement that charges be reasonable and non-discriminatory and that service quality be adequate. Operators may recover capital costs for permanent infrastructure improvements through ongoing service rates. Violations can result in civil forfeitures, criminal fines, imprisonment, and private lawsuits by affected occupants seeking double their actual losses plus attorney fees.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Wis. Stat. § 101.937, manufactured home community operators and contractors are expected to follow department-promulgated rules on every aspect of water and sewer service, from metering and billing practices to deposit requirements and disconnection procedures. Compliant operators ensure that rates are reasonable and applied without unjust discrimination, and that any capital cost recovery for permanent infrastructure improvements is built into ongoing service rates rather than assessed as arbitrary charges. Because each day of a continuing violation can constitute a separate offense carrying forfeitures up to $5,000 per day, operators generally maintain documented, rule-compliant procedures and respond promptly to occupant disputes.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Wis. Stat. § 101.937 gives manufactured home community occupants the right to water and sewer service that meets state-established standards for adequacy, fair pricing, and non-discriminatory treatment. Occupants who believe an operator or contractor has violated the department's rules may file a complaint directly with the department, which has authority to investigate and issue enforcement orders on its own motion or in response to a complaint. Additionally, § 101.937(4) provides a private cause of action allowing any person who suffers a financial loss due to a rule or order violation to sue for twice their actual pecuniary loss plus reasonable attorney fees and costs; tenant-rights organizations or legal aid offices can help occupants understand which enforcement path may be available to them.
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.
Effective Timeline
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