(a) (1) (A) An urban and community water system shall not discontinue residential service for nonpayment until a payment by a customer has been delinquent for at least 60 days. No less than seven business days before discontinuation of residential service for nonpayment, an urban and community water system shall contact the customer named on the account by telephone or written notice.
(B) When the urban and community water system contacts the customer named on the account by telephone pursuant to subparagraph (A), it shall offer to provide in writing to the customer the urban and community water system’s policy on discontinuation of residential service for nonpayment. An urban and community water system shall offer to discuss options to avert discontinuation of residential service for nonpayment, including, but not limited to, alternative payment schedules, deferred payments, minimum payments, procedures for requesting amortization of the unpaid balance, and petition for bill review and appeal.
(C) When the urban and community water system contacts the customer named on the account by written notice pursuant to subparagraph (A), the written notice of payment delinquency and impending discontinuation shall be mailed to the customer of the residence to which the residential service is provided. If the customer’s address is not the address of the property to which residential service is provided, the notice also shall be sent to the address of the property to which residential service is provided, addressed to “Occupant.” The notice shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following information in a clear and legible format:
(i) The customer’s name and address.
(ii) The amount of the delinquency.
(iii) The date by which payment or arrangement for payment is required in order to avoid discontinuation of residential service.
(iv) A description of the process to apply for an extension of time to pay the delinquent charges.
(v) A description of the procedure to petition for bill review and appeal.
(vi) A description of the procedure by which the customer may request a deferred, reduced, or alternative payment schedule, including an amortization of the delinquent residential service charges, consistent with the written policies provided pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 116906.
(2) If the urban and community water system is unable to make contact with the customer or an adult occupying the residence by telephone, and written notice is returned through the mail as undeliverable, the urban and community water system shall make a good faith effort to visit the residence and leave, or make other arrangements for placement in a conspicuous place of, a notice of imminent discontinuation of residential service for nonpayment and the urban and community water system’s policy for discontinuation of residential service for nonpayment.
(b) If an adult at the residence appeals the water bill to the urban and community water system or any other administrative or legal body to which such an appeal may be lawfully taken, the urban and community water system shall not discontinue residential service while the appeal is pending.
(Added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 891, Sec. 2. (SB 998) Effective January 1, 2019.)