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Home My WebLink About14 California SB998 Discontinuation of Residential Water ServiceWORKSHOPAqendaItem#14TRUCKEEDONNERPublicUtilityDistrictTo:From:Date:BoardofDirectorsBrianWrightOctober16,2019Subject:ReviewofCaliforniaSB998DiscontinuationofResidentialWaterServiceforNon-Payment1.WHYTHISMATTERISBEFORETHEBOARDWorkshoptoreviewtheimpactofCaliforniaSB998ontheDistrict’spolicyfordiscontinuationofresidentialwaterservicefornon-payment.2.HISTORYIn2012,theGovernorofCaliforniaapprovedtheadditionofSection106.3totheCaliforniaWaterCodeestablishingStatepolicythat“everyhumanbeinghastherighttosafe,clean,affordable,andaccessiblewateradequateforhumanconsumption,cooking,andsanitarypurposes.”InSeptember2018,theGovernorofCaliforniaapprovedSB998whichaddedChapter6(commencingwithSection116900)toPart12ofDivision104oftheHealthandSafetyCode,knownastheWaterShutoffProtectionAct.Accordingtothelanguageofthelegislation,theintentofthecodeammendmentisto“minimizethenumberofCalifornianswholooseaccesstowaterserviceduetoaninabilitytopay”.TheGovernor’sapprovalofSB998nowrequiresUrbanWaterSupplierstodevelopawrittenpolicybyFebruary1,2020thatincludesseveralnewprovisionsandrestrictionsregardingdiscontinuationofresidentialwaterservicefornon-payment.Thesenewprovisionsapplyonlytoresidentialwaterservices..Residentialwaterservicemaynotbediscontinueduntilacustomerhasbeendelinquentforaleast60days;.Noticeofdiscontinuationofserviceduetodelinquentpaymentsmustbeprovidedinwritingandaccompaniedbyacopyofthewatersystem’swrittenpolicy(inalllanguageslistedinSection1632oftheCivilCode);.Ifanadultattheresidenceappealsthewaterbill,thewatersystemisprohibitedfromdiscontinuingservicewhiletheappealispending;.Waterservicemaynotbediscontinuedifthecustomercandemonstrateaserioushealththreat,financialhardshipandwillingnesstoenterintoanalternativepaymentplan;3.NEWINFORMATIONSomeofthekeyrequirementsinclude: .Thewatersystemmustmake“goodfaitheffort”tocontactthecustomerinpersonorbyphonepriortodiscontinuationofresidentialwaterservicefornon-payment;and.WatersystemsarenowrequiredtoreportontheirwebsiteandtotheStateWaterResourcesControlBoard(SWRCB),thenumberofannualoccurrenceswhereresidentialwaterservicehasbeendiscontinuedfornon-payment.Inadditiontotheprovisionsoutlinedabove,thereareseveralotherprovisionssuchasreconnectionfeelimitations,specificprovisionsforlandlord/tenantconsiderations,andcontactingcustomers.WhiletheDistricthasinpolicyinplacewithinDistrictCode,Section5.12forthediscontinuationofutilityservicefornon-paymentthatincludesmanypftheprovisionsrequiredunderSB998,therearesubstantivechangesthatwillneedtobeimplementedinordertomeetfullcompliancewiththenewregulation.FailuretomeetthecompliancerequirementsbytheFebruary1,2020deadlinemayresultincitationsandpenaltiesissuedbytheSWRCB,inanamountnottoexceed$1,000perday.ThisworkshopitemwillprovideabroadoverviewofallofthenewprovisionsandrequirementsofSB998,inadditiontotheimpactthesenewprovisionswillhaveonexistingDistrictpolicy.StaffwillbringtotheBoardarecommendationforDistrictCoderevisionsatalaterdate.4.FISCALIMPACTThereisnofiscalimpactassociatedwiththisitem.5.RECOMMENDATIONReceivethisworkshopandprovidecomments.,bMichaelD.HolleyGeneralManager/WaterUtilityDirector