REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MICHAEL LIMA, Controller
Finance Department
MICHAEL CARBAJAL, Director
Department of Public Utilities
BY: CHERYL BURNS, Senior Management Analyst
Department of Public Utilities - Administration
SUBJECT
Title
***BILL B-46- (Intro. 12/2/2021)(For Adoption) Amending Article 1 of Chapter 6 of the Fresno Municipal Code, relating to billing and collection procedures for municipal utilities (Subject to Mayor's Veto).
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that City Council adopt an ordinance amending Article 1 of Chapter 6 of the Fresno Municipal Code, relating to billing and collection procedures for municipal utilities.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Senate Bill No. 998 (SB 998), the Water Shutoff Protection Act, (Cal. Health & Safety Code section 116900 et. seq.) was approved on September 28, 2018, and became effective February 1, 2020. The Water Shutoff Protection Act outlines the requirements for discontinuation of residential water service for nonpayment of a delinquent account. The City of Fresno (City) Department of Public Utilities (DPU) in conjunction with the Utilities Billing & Collection Division (UB&C) of the Finance Department have prepared a Discontinuation of Residential Water Service for Nonpayment Policy (Policy) and identified the necessary updates to the Fresno Municipal Code (FMC) to achieve compliance with the requirements of SB 998. The Policy was adopted by the City Council on December 2, 2021.
BACKGROUND
SB 998 the Water Shutoff Protection Act, (Cal. Health & Safety Code section 116900 et. seq.) was approved on September 28, 2018, and became effective February 1, 2020. The intent of SB 998 is to minimize the number of Californians who lose access to water service due to inability to pay. SB 998 declares that all Californians have the right to safe, accessible, and affordable water and as such, requires urban water suppliers to have a written policy on the discontinuation of reside...
Click here for full text