WATER SERVICE SHUT-OFF POLICY & PROCEDURE

Adopted by SVMWC’s Board of Directors on July 29, 2022

1. Squaw Valley Mutual Water Company (“SVMWC”) bills its members for water service, other charges and fees such as late-payment penalties as explained at squawvalleymutualwater.com/your-bill. Members are property owners, not tenants, as explained at squawvalleymutualwater.com/about. It is each member’s obligation to inform SVMWC of changes to their billing address.
2. Payments are due in full thirty (30) days after SVMWC sends bills to members (“Billing Date”).
3. If SVMWC does not receive payment in full thirty (30) days after the Billing Date, SVMWC will send a notice to member explaining SVMWC’s intent to shut off water service one hundred and twenty (120) days after the notice. The notice will include details of the delinquency; the date by which payment must be received by SVMWC to prevent shut-off; and information about appeals, extensions, and the option to enter into an alternative payment plan approved by SVMWC’s treasurer (“APM”).
4. If SVMWC does not receive payment in full nor enters into an APM sixty (60) days after the Billing Date, SVMWC will send a notice to member explaining SVMWC’s intent to shut off water service ninety (90) days after the notice. The notice will include details of the delinquency; the date by which payment must be received by SVMWC to prevent shut-off; and information about appeals, extensions, and the option to enter into an APM.
5. If SVMWC does not receive payment in full nor enters into an APM one hundred and twenty (120) days after the Billing Date, SVMWC will send a notice to member explaining SVMWC’s intent to shut off water service thirty (30) days after the notice. The notice will include details of the delinquency; the date by which payment must be received by SVMWC to prevent shut-off; and information about appeals, extensions, and the option to enter into an APM. If member’s mailing address is not the same address where SVMWC provides service (the “Service Address”), SVMWC will also post the notice prominently on the Service Address addressed to “Occupant.” Tenants may opt to pay the delinquent balance if member-landlord does not cure the delinquency.
6. If SVMWC does not receive payment in full nor enters into an APM one hundred and fifty (150) days after the Billing Date, except as set forth below SVMWC will immediately shut off water service and send a notice informing member of the shut-off. The notice will also include details of the delinquency; and information about appeals, extensions, and the option to enter into an APM. If member’s mailing address is not the same address where SVMWC provides service (the “Service Address”), SVMWC will also post the notice prominently on the Service Address addressed to “Occupant.” Tenants may opt to pay the delinquent balance if member-landlord does not cure the delinquency. SVMWC will not shut off service when all the following three conditions occur:
   1. a primary care medical provider certifies in writing that discontinuing water service will pose a serious or potentially fatal threat to a resident,
   2. member is unable to pay as demonstrated by the receipt of certain public assistance by someone in the household, or a declaration from member that the household is below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, and
   3. member enters into an APM.
7. If member enters into an APM, SVMWC may disconnect service five (5) days after notifying member and posting a notice of intent to disconnect service in a prominent and conspicuous location at the Service Address if either of the following occurs:
   1. member fails to comply with the payments stipulated in the APM for over 60 days, or
   2. while obligated under the APM, member does not pay for over 60 days new service charges not covered by the APM.
8. SVMWC will reconnect water service within two business days of receiving payment of all outstanding amounts, including unpaid water-service charges, late-payment fees, penalties, interest, administrative charge, and a $750 service-reconnection fee.
9. For a period of one year following service reconnection, member will be on an accelerated shut-off procedure such that any failure to make timely payments will result in SVMWC shutting off water service thirty (30) days after a payment is due for a bill. That is, the above procedure of multiple notices and waiting periods will not apply.
10. This shut-off policy does not apply to SVMWC’s water service shut-off caused by member’s violations of any other SVMWC rule, regulation or bylaw.
11. SVMWC will post annually on its website the number of times water service was disconnected due to inability to pay.

This policy complies with the State of California’s Water Shutoff Protection Act (SB998).