Californians water debt crisis, which Newsom called a critical issue on Monday, represents another pandemic ripple effect that jeopardizes basic human needs in the face of disaster: a shelter from the virus, safe water to drink and wash hands. Copyright 2022. For information on how to apply for incentives in your area, please contact the Program Administrator for your utility: Contact your battery provider and/or licensed contractor for more information. The first thing I wanted to know was how many people are being affected by shutoff events and how thats changed over the years. SBA COVID-19 Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources, California Department of Public Health (CDPH), California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), News and Outreach Office The same year, Detroit aggressively shut off residents water as a debt collection tactic as the city went bankrupt. Union of Concerned Scientists Small businesses and nonprofits can apply for SBA disaster assistance programs online or seek assistance from SBAs Customer Service Center at 1-800-569-2955/1-800-877-8339 (TTY). California utilities commission extends moratorium on power shutoffs In the past year, the CPUC and the states utilities stepped up efforts to get eligible customers to sign up for the California Alternate Rates for Energy, or CARE, and the Family Electric Rates Assistance, or FERA programs. According to the LADWP rules, your water and electricity may be shut off if you fail to pay your bill within 19 days of the date it was mailed. If you have an issue with your utility and would like to file a complaint, please contact the Consumer Affairs Branch via phone at 1-800-649-7570 or via email at consumer-affairs@cpuc.ca.gov. Utility Shutoffs and Illegal Lockouts - Consumer & Business 4. But Bell-Holt, who along with her husband tested positive for the coronavirus last week, isnt holding her breath for assistance. During a power shut-off, you should use a public charging station location tool, such as PlugShare, to find chargers located in unaffected areas. All told, some $1.33 billion in past-due bills have piled up statewide. Bell-Holt and her husband, a disabled U.S. Army Master Sergeant, live on fixed incomes. You should read this policy so You can understand what type of cookies We use, or the information We collect using Cookies and how that information is used. The commission, known as the CPUC for short, extended the moratorium earlier this year but it was set to run out June 30. However, if a customer misses more than two payments in their COVID-19 relief plan, they can be kicked out of the plan. Get a daily round-up of news. Most smaller systems cant afford to. Gavin Newsom banning water disconnections during the pandemic. Please contact your utility prior to a power shut-off for more information on Community Resource Centers. In addition, more than 5,000 utility customers statewide have received $2.8 million from the federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program that helps renters with unpaid bills and California was allocated $1.5 billion through the American Rescue Plan Act that homeowners can apply to utility bill relief. Los Angeles DWP to end water and power shutoffs for low-income customers who can't pay. California state law, for one, does not allow a utility to shut off water to households with a medical waiver. This spreadsheet has all the information I was looking for: critical variables such as the number of customers impacted, the duration of each power outage, and much more. No power is available at night, for instance, and you might lose power when a cloud shades your solar panels. It isnt perfect, but its enough to show the trends and answer my questions. Please check with your solar provider and/or your licensed contractor to determine the capabilities of your specific system. In 2012, California declared the human right to safe, clean, affordable and accessible drinking water. Yes. A larger, multi-battery system can provide full backup power for 24 to 48 hours during a power shut-off. Prior to the pandemic, low-income Americans and Black and Hispanic households were disproportionately affected by utility shutoffs. A spokesperson for the state's COVID-19 Rent Relief program said that of the $158 million distributed as of July 16, less than $40,000 had gone to utilities relief. By February 25, 2021, IOUs shall submit drafts of Transition Plan Advice Letters to CPUC staff (, Jan. 22, 2021: Comments on Draft Resolution M-4849. However, if (a) one or more of the tenants/occupants assumes responsibility for subsequent charges to the account to the water suppliers satisfaction, or (b) there is a physical means to selectively terminate service to those tenants/occupants who have not met the systems requirements, then the system may make service available only to those tenants/occupants who have met the requirements. This partnership was previously. Commissioner Martha Guzman Aceves said the regulator is trying to be responsive to this really dynamic situation that were in, in recovering from this pandemic.. When Utilities Shut Off Water for the Poor, We Are All at Risk How much will that cost? Here's how Pacific Power decides whether to shut off power to avoid future wildfires. Nearly 60 may need it sooner. We use both session and persistent Cookies for the purposes set out below: Purpose: These Cookies are essential to provide You with services available through the Website and to enable You to use some of its features. PSPS events have affected far fewer Californians since 2019. The data collected by the California Public Utilities Commission includes information about which circuits utilities have turned off in PSPS events, and this information can be used as a proxy to determine when PSPS events continue to affect the same people over and over. We know the effects of COVID are still very much front and center for many consumers, Commissioner Clifford Rechtschaffen said. Turn the handle clockwise until the valve is completely closed to shut off water. The Act does not specify when that delinquency period begins to run, so that is an issue a water supplier should address in its service termination policy. Second, inverters that provide backup power typically cant provide enough power to meet all your typical home needs. Can I modify my solar system to provide backup power? First, they only provide power while your solar system is generating power. Water debt and potential shutoffs weigh most heavily on low-income communities of color, who suffer disproportionately from job loss and coronavirus itself. The total number of customers impacted by PSPS events peaked in 2019 when 2 million PG&E customers lost power over the course of the year. It was 2019, and Californias largest utility, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), wasnt taking any chances. ones. Throughout August and September, 14 state moratoriums will expire. We will be monitoring very closely the extent to which state and federal funding efforts address the debt that consumers face, Rechtschaffen said. Customers are deemed to have a household income below 200% of the federal poverty line if: (i) any member of the household is a current recipient of the following benefits: CalWORKS, CalFresh, general assistance, Medi-Cal, SSI/State Supplementary Payment Program or California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children; or (ii) the customer declares the households annual income is less than 200% of the federal poverty level. We want to deliver a personalized, responsive, and improved site experience to you, our users. California Public Utilities Commission 11. Included were plans by Pacific Gas & Electric, California's largest utility, which was held responsible for sparking the state's deadliest wildfire, the Camp Fire that killed 85 people in 2018. . But it dropped almost as sharply in 2020 and 2021. If your water service is about to be shut-off, you may be able to arrange a bill-payment plan. Monthly utilities swelled to over $2,000. The Act does not provide any details regarding the timing for that that reporting. In order for a tenant or occupant to take over the water service account, each tenant/occupant must agree to the terms and conditions for service and meet the water suppliers requirements and rules. If you have any questions about this Cookies Policy, You can contact us: Copyright 2022. Those new requirements and procedures are summarized below. Unpaid water bills top $1 billion in California - CalMatters Incentives may also be available through the Self-Generation Incentive Program to help decrease the cost of the system. The Act requires that at least 10 days (but only 7 days if the property is a detached single-family dwelling) [note this notice requirement refers to calendar days and not business days as with the notices described above] prior to the possible termination of water service, the urban and community water system must make every good faith effort to inform the occupants by written notice that the water service will be terminated. These cookies are not shared with anyone other than our trusted Association members. A single-battery system can typically power your priority appliances (e.g., refrigerator, lighting, and a few other outlets) for 24 to 48 hours during a power shut-off. May 7, 2020: The CPUC temporarily modified rates for high energy use customers to minimize the impacts of electricity bills in the summer related to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a California Assembly member, Bill Dodd represented Clearlake, where a third experience poverty. In its decision, the commission said the combination of the moratorium extension and the two-year amortization plans will relieve customers of the threat of disconnection and put them on a path toward solvency.. In 2015, Dodd championed legislation to study what it would take to create a statewide water bill assistance program. And even with all the power shutoffs, California utilities have continued to spark devastating wildfires, including the 2021 Dixie Fire, the states second-largest wildfire in history. if one customer experiences three PSPS events in one year, this data counts them as three customers). Where can I find more information on planning for a power shut-off? The Act requires every urban and community water system to have a written policy on discontinuation of residential water service for non-payment. You may also qualify for assistance through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which is a federal program for low-income families that helps with energy bills. But is that because PSPS events are now happening much less frequently, or have Californians simply become accustomed to these power outages? All Rights Reserved. Don't turn it back on until you're sure it's safe. The practice of shutting off power to prevent utility equipment from starting wildfires, commonly referenced as public safety power shutoffs or PSPS, has been much less prevalent in the news recently. During a power shut-off, most solar systems will automatically power down. The following definitions shall have the same meaning regardless of whether they appear in singular or in plural. Lastly, the Act applies only to termination of service for non-payment and does not apply to terminations for other reasons, such as unauthorized water use or for violation of a suppliers rules and regulations. Contact your battery installer or manufacturer to make sure you know the limits of your system and can appropriately prioritize your energy usage. 5. California to pay off $2 billion in unpaid utility bills to avoid Unpaid utility bills? California will pay off $2 billion - CalMatters Can Texas utilities turn off your electricity in a heat wave? Here's Just a year before, its equipment ignited the Camp Fire, the deadliest fire in California history, and PG&E went into bankruptcy in January 2019 due to the mounting costs of wildfire damage. For the Chrome web browser, please visit this page from Google: For the Internet Explorer web browser, please visit this page from Microsoft: For the Firefox web browser, please visit this page from Mozilla: For the Safari web browser, please visit this page from Apple. It was only a few years ago when millions of Californians had their power shut off to prevent grid infrastructure from sparking wildfires. Generators may be subject to state and local air quality regulations. The customer is deemed financially unable to pay if any member of the customers household is: (i) a current recipient of the following benefits: CalWORKS, CalFresh, general assistance, Medi-Cal, SSI/State Supplementary Payment Program or California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children; or (ii) the customer declares the households annual income is less than 200% of the federal poverty level. Note that the weighted average outage duration was calculated by summing (customers impacted)*(outage hours) then dividing by the sum of customers impacted. Tilden noted that between 2013 through 2021, the state's largest utilities shut off power to more than 3.6 million customers during 67 power . This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. At least 1.6 million California households, or one in eight, have water debt. Arrearage Management Plan (AMP) The California legislature approved the California Arrearage Payment Program (CAPP) in the 2021-2022 State Budget. Replacement inverters typically cost around $1,000 to $2,500 depending on the size of your solar system. Details wont be finalized until the governor approves the budget and the commission will take the $1 billion payments into consideration in a later proceeding. For businesses, the plan ensures that the monthly payment does not exceed 10 percent of the customers average monthly bill. However, many of these orders will expire by the end of September, leaving 34.5 million households without shutoff protections, according to a new report from energy efficiency startup Carbon Switch. This behavior prevents any flow of power into your utilitys de-energized electric grid and is essential to ensure the safety of repair crews and first responders. It's a good idea to turn off your home's water whenever you leave town to protect against unexpected flooding and wasted water. As Californians are sheltering at home, residential electric usage has increased 15 to 20 percent in recent weeks compared to the same period last year. 2 Brattle Square, Cambridge MA 02138, USA By Susie Coen, US Correspondent, in New York 26 June 2023 5:02pm. Results calculated from 1,112 Community Water Systems reports meeting quality control requirements. But in the event that something does come into contact with power lines, simple technologies such as insulated power lines and more complex technologies such as synchrophasor sensors can prevent sparks from flying. Can a Utility Company Shut Off My Water Without Notice? State-mandated suspensions on utility shut-offs due to nonpayment as a result of COVID-19 are now in place in 17 states and the District of Columbia. For Southern California Edison (SCE) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), the picture is a little different. Date by which payment or arrangement for payment is required to avoid discontinuation of service; If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. State leaders are looking for ways to bail out struggling residents and smaller water systems alike, both buckling under $1 billion in water debt statewide. In certain situations, a utility company can legally shut off your water without notice. In his role, he leads research and advocacy efforts in California and other Western states to advance the transition to a less polluting and less carbon-intensive energy system. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); In April, the governor issued an executive order that barred water shutoffs for customers who dont pay their water bills. The federally funded program Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)can help with basic assistance as well as expenses related to housing, food, child care and job training. The first thing Deborah Bell-Holt does each morning is check whether water still flows from her bathroom faucet. "These kinds of scams have been. If you rely on electric or battery-dependent assistive technologies and medical devices, including breathing machines, power wheelchairs or scooters, and home oxygen or dialysis equipment, make sure that you have planned for an extended power outage. The unpaid water bills total $1 billion, according to new data from the State Water Resources Control Board. She used December stimulus payments to shrink the debt by $2,000. You may use this option for preventing the use of Cookies at any time. The CPUCs oversight consists of ensuring that the utilities are clear about the rules they must adhere to, monitoring the utilities preparation, and evaluating their implementation. Additionally, the executive order will restore water for occupied residences that may have had their water shut off as of March 4, 2020, which is when the Governor proclaimed a state of emergency due to COVID-19. Another barrier that prevents using an EV as a backup power source is the risk of voiding the manufacturers warranty if the battery is used for any function other than powering the vehicle. Of those, one fifth owe more than $1,000. This means performing regular safety checks and ensuring you have enough fuel to last through the power shut-off. For example, PG&E de-energized the Big Bend 1101 circuit six times in 2019, five times in 2020, and two times in 2021 (as of October 2021). Governors and public utility commissions in 32 states passed new utility shutoff moratoriums during the pandemic, which prohibited providers from shutting off utilities because of nonpayment. Enrollment does not prevent customers from accessing other financial programs that can help them reduce utility debt.