New Restrictions on Residential Water Service Discontinuation in California - SB 998 Will Require Wr

May 2024 · 3 minute read

Best Best & Krieger LLP

There will be new restrictions on residential water service discontinuation when customers are delinquent in paying their water bills under Senate Bill 998, signed last week by California Gov. Jerry Brown. The legislation will impact existing practices, policies and procedures relating to delinquent accounts and discontinuation of water service by retail water purveyors.
 
The new law applies to all urban and community water systems, public or private, that provide water to more than 200 service connections. For water systems regulated by the Public Utilities Commission, or those supplying water to more than 3,000 customers annually, the new requirements will go into effect on Feb. 1, 2020. For any other water systems with more than 200 service connections, the new requirements will go into effect April 1, 2020.
 
Among other things, SB 998 mandates:

These new rules, and others contained in SB 998, are in addition to existing discontinuation of service requirements that apply to special districts that provide retail water service under Government Code section 60370, et seq.
 
In light of SB 998, water systems should carefully evaluate their existing policies and procedures relating to delinquent accounts and discontinuation of water service, and update any necessary policies, procedures, ordinances or administrative codes to ensure compliance with the new requirements.

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