Rialto City Council
Automatic Payment Plan
Program for Water and
Wastewater Customers
Water Shutoff Moratorium
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Presented by:
Thomas J. Crowley, P.E. – Utilities Manager
September 13, 2022
Background
•March 2020 - City Council Declared a
Local Emergency to the COVID-19
outbreak.
•April 2020 – Governor of California issued
an emergency order establishing a
moratorium on all water shut-offs.
•April 2020 – City Council adopted the
moratorium on water shut-offs. Also
stopped assessing late payment penalties
and interest on water and sewer bills.
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Background (cont.)
• The Governor of California issues another Executive
Order that would allow the water shut-off moratorium to expire at the end of September 2021.
• SB 155 postponed the moratorium to expire at the end of December 2021, and longer if customers have been
offered payment plans.
• March 8, 2022, City Council authorized Rialto Water
Services and City staff to begin the implementation of an Automatic Payment Plan for accounts with water and
wastewater arrearages that are 90 days and older.
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Background (cont.)
• On August 9, 2022, City staff presented this item to
City Council and requested to lift the moratorium
effective January 1, 2023
• Several questions were asked requiring further
review:
1. Efforts in creating a bridge between CDBG-CV grant
Program and Utility Customers.
2. Reporting to include Residential and Commercial
categories.
3. How are other Agencies dealing with the Moratorium
issue, specifically West Walley Water District.
4. Delinquent sewer accounts shown at the May 25
Water Subcommittee and on August 9
5. Inequities in tax roll process for sewer-only accounts .4
Question 1 - Arrearage Assistance Programs –
CDBG-CV
Community Development Block Grant CARES (CBDG-CV)
Fully Allocated (Future action to be recommended to reprogram funds) RWS worked with the City to identify all the customers, Water and Sewer, that were in DAC census tract areas.
Postcards were mailed out to 2000+ Residents notifying they can apply for CDBG-CV financial assistance.
Qualifying residents received a maximum of $2,000 per month for up to three months for rent or mortgage assistance, and/or a one-time utility to help renters and homeowners in the City.
As of the end of August, $542,000 was allocated to qualifying applicants and a remaining balance of $218,000 is encumbered for 72 remaining open applications. There is a waiting list if additional funds are programmed. .5
Other Arrearage Assistance Programs - LIHWAP
Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP)
NOW ACTIVE
Program will disburse $87 million starting 6/3/22 until funds run out or until 8/15/2023. Maximum disbursement per household is $2,000.
Disbursement covers water and wastewater past-due charges, current charges, late fees, wastewater collected on the tax roll, and remaining balances of customers on payment plans.
Flyers were included as a bill insert to customers and information pertaining to LIHWAP was provided on the flyers that went out notifying customers about the payment plan.
At this time, two applications have been forwarded to RWS/Veolia for determination of benefits ($426.36.and $1332.60). Payment is being processed.
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Question 2 and 5 - Automatic Payment Plans
• In order to maintain fairness to all customers Payment Plans have been extended to include Sewer-only
customers in WVWD and FWC service areas.
• Automatically enroll customers on a payment plan with past due amounts of 90 days or greater.
• 12-month payment plan.
• Customers have an opt-out provision by paying in full. • Customers can apply any relief programs to their
payment plans.
• Payment plan amount will be added to the monthly bill. 7 Automatic Payment Plans (cont.)
• RWS to monitor the payment plan program and
report back to the City.
• Customer can request for a longer payment plan
period.
• If customer choose not to participate in the
payment plan and not pay their outstanding
amounts, shut off process will begin, January
2023.
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Automatic Payment Plans To Date
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9 Question 3 - What's Happening at West Valley
Water District
West Valley Water District is in the process of evaluating the moratorium on water shut-offs.
Their arrearages grew to $1.3M due to the COVID-19
pandemic with $700,000 accounts 120 days past due.
A payment plan program has been started and is available to all customers with a delinquent account of 30 days or more.
Customers were notified of the payment plan via postcard and encouraged to request payment plans if account is 30 days+ delinquent.
Payment plans are not automatic.
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Other Agency Response to the Moratorium on Shut-Offs
The following neighboring agencies have all rescinded their respective water shut-off moratoriums:
Cucamonga Valley Water District
East Valley Water District
Monte Vista Water District
City of San Bernardino Municipal Water Department
City of Colton is not experiencing the water shut-off issue because they have one combined utility bill for electricity, water, sewer, and trash.
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Question 4 – Numbers Presented at Prior
Water Subcommittee Meeting
• The charts presented at the Water Subcommittee
meeting on May 25, 2022, reflected sewer-only Tax Roll
accounts for consideration of annual tax roll lien process. • The charts in the staff report on August 9, 2022, city Council meeting, represents combined water/sewer
delinquent accounts.
12 Question 5 – Fairness in Accommodating
Sewer-Only Customers
• Valid point made by City Council
• Sewer-only customers have not previously been offered an automatic payment plan.
• Given the service cannot be physically shut off, past practice has been to levy all delinquent sewer-only
customers on the property tax roll.
• Commencing this year, with the City Council’s action to exclude first-time delinquent sewer-only customers from the tax roll, Staff has coordinated with RWS to provide payment plans to these customers.
13 Questions
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