In April 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom signed an Executive Order that temporarily suspended water shutoffs to homes and small businesses as part of the State’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic (water bill moratorium). The Order helped protect water customers who could not afford to pay for their water service during the pandemic, alleviating any fears of having water service shut off for non-payment.
Although consumers were protected from shutoffs during this time, costs associated with treating, monitoring, and supplying drinking water to customers remained unchanged. As a result, water charges continued to accumulate (at zero interest) and were carefully tracked.
On December 31, 2021, the Governor’s water moratorium ended. Realizing the stress this may place on Vallejo water customers with the lifting of the moratorium so close to the holidays and amidst the surge of the Omicron variant, the Vallejo Water and Finance departments opted to continue the Vallejo water billing moratorium through March 31, 2022, to support Vallejo Water customers who continued to be impacted financially by the persistent pandemic.
Delinquent Water Bills:
For those customers who did not/could not pay their bills, the unpaid amounts accumulated (interest-free) and were tracked by the Water Billing team in the Finance Department. All water charges that were delinquent on and accrued since April 2020 will be due.
Water customers with a balance due can expect to see delinquent notices arriving in mailboxes as early as the first two weeks of April 2022. (Water customers are billed every two months, with a rolling billing cycle tied to Water Meter Reader routes.)
Assistance For Water Bill Repayment:
No-interest payment plans are available to Vallejo Water Customers with a balance due on their water bills.
Water customers will not be automatically enrolled in a repayment program, so it is crucial they contact the water billing team by phone or email to make arrangements for the zero-interest payment plan.
To arrange for a payment plan, customers must:
- Email vallejowaterbilling@
cityofvallejo.net or; - Call (707) 648-4345
In addition to payment plan options, the City is also offering a Water Rate Assistance Program (WRAP) to qualified customers. To learn more about WRAP, customers can visit www.myvallejo.com/wrap.