The BCPUD strongly supports the principles of the State of California’s Water Shutoff Protection Act (http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB998) and the right of all Californians to safe, accessible and affordable drinking water. The loss of water service can cause hardship and stress, threatening human health and well-being, often with disproportionate impacts on vulnerable populations. Accordingly, in the event of a delinquent bill, the BCPUD will treat all customers fairly and fair treatment includes the ability to contest a bill, seek alternative payment schedules, and demonstrate medical need and/or severe economic hardship. The BCPUD will follow all procedural safeguards contained in the Public Utilities Code and the Government Code relating to utility service disconnections, consistent with the requirements of the Water Shutoff Protection Act.
The BCPUD’s water and sewer service termination procedures are set forth in BCPUD Resolution 312.
The BCPUD’s policy on discontinuation of water service for nonpayment of a bill is reflected in the form of a customer notice that must be sent by the General Manager to an affected customer before any proceedings to discontinue water service commence (Notice of Intent to Terminate Water Service). In brief, no less than fifteen (15) days prior to discontinuing any customer’s water service for nonpayment of a bill, the BCPUD’s General Manager will contact the customer named on the account by written notice and alert that customer to the amount of the delinquency and the date by which payment or arrangement for payment is required in order to avoid discontinuation of water service. The BCPUD General Manager shall offer to discuss options with the customer to avert discontinuation of water service such as alternative payment schedules, deferred payments, minimum payments, procedures for requesting amortization of the unpaid balance, and petition for bill review and appeal. An affected customer also may reach out to the district’s General Manager about a delinquent bill by calling the BCPUD office at (415) 868-1224 on weekdays between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. The BCPUD’s written notice also will inform customers that they have the option to submit written requests for an extension of time to pay the delinquent charges, or petition for bill review and appeal, or request a deferred, reduced or alternative payment schedule (including an amortization of the delinquent residential service charges) by submitting such requests to the BCPUD’s General Manager no later than seven (7) days before the potential discontinuation of water service date set forth in the BCPUD’s notification letter. At the time of such request, the customer must provide the BCPUD with documentation demonstrating that the bill is beyond the means of the customer to pay in full. The BCPUD’s General Manager will issue a written decision on the customer request and, if the customer disagrees with the outcome of that decision, the customer has a right to appeal the General Manager’s decision within seven (7) days, in writing, to the BCPUD Board of Directors for a determination at its next regularly scheduled meeting or at a special meeting.
Note: Translations of this policy into Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese and Korean are pending and will be posted as soon as they are available.