We understand that customers may experience financial
hardship and may periodically be unable to pay their bill.
Golden State Water Policy of Discontinuation of Residential
Services for Nonpayment
GSWC bills are due and payable upon date of presentation.
When bills are rendered monthly or bimonthly, they will be
considered past due (delinquent) if not paid within 19 days from
the date of mailing. It is the responsibility of every
customer to pay the bill in full and on time. GSWC will
allow every residential customer a total of 79 days from the date
of mailing its bill, to make full payment of the bill prior to
discontinuance of service. Information on how to avoid
discontinuation of residential service for nonpayment is
available by calling 800-999-4033. For the purposes of this
policy, residential service means water service to a residential
connection that includes single-family residences, multifamily
residences, mobilehomes, including, but not limited to,
mobilehomes in mobilehome parks, or farmworker housing.
Alternate Payment Arrangements
GSWC understands that customers may experience financial hardship
and may periodically be unable to pay their bill. If prior
to, or upon receipt of a discontinuance notice, a residential
customer is unable to pay, he or she must contact GSWC by calling
800-999-4033 before discontinuance of service to request a
deferred (paying at a later date), reduced (spreading payments
out over an agreed upon period of time not to exceed 12 months),
or some other alternative payment schedule to avoid
discontinuance of service. Services will not be
discontinued for nonpayment for any customer who complies with an
alternate payment arrangement entered into with GSWC, as long as
the customer also keeps current on his or her account for water
service as charges accrue in each subsequent billing
period. If a customer fails to comply with an alternate
payment arrangement, GSWC will give a discontinuance of service
notice, at least 5 business days before discontinuing
service. The customer will not be entitled to any further
investigation or alternative payment arrangements by GSWC.
Residential Health and Safety Exception
Service to a residential water customer will not be discontinued
for nonpayment when such customer establishes to the satisfaction
of GSWC that all three of the following conditions are met:
a) The residential customer submits certification from a primary
care provider, as defined by the Water Shutoff Protection Act,
that discontinuation of residential water service will be life
threatening to, or pose a serious threat to the health and safety
of, a resident of the premises where residential service is
provided,
b) The residential customer demonstrates that she or he is
financially unable to pay for residential service within the
GSWC’s normal billing cycle, and
c) The residential customer is willing to enter into a deferred
(paying at a later date), reduced (spreading payments out over an
agreed upon period of time not to exceed 12 months), or some
other alternative payment schedule.
Notice of Discontinuance of Residential Water Service for
Nonpayment
GSWC will not discontinue residential service for nonpayment of a
delinquent account unless GSWC first gives notice of the
delinquency and impeding discontinuance, in accordance with Rule
No. 8.A.3. This establishes notice periods ranging from 7
to 15 days, depending on the occupancy type. Where the
owner, manager, or operator of the dwelling, structure, or park
is listed by GSWC as the customer of record, and water service is
provided to residential occupants, GSWC will make every good
faith effort to inform the residential occupants, by written
notice in accordance with Rule No. 8.A.3.b.
Disputed Bill
Petition for Bill Review
Any customer (or adult occupant of a residential service
address) who disputes the accuracy of their water bill may
petition GSWC to review the disputed bill by calling
800-999-4033. The customer will not have the water
discontinued for nonpayment while an investigation by GSWC is
pending, provided that:
a) customer has submitted a petition for review within 5 days of
receiving the disputed bill, and b) customer has made alternate
payment arrangements, where he/she asserts the bill is beyond
their means to pay in full within the normal period of payment,
prior to discontinuance of service in accordance to Rule Nos. 5
and 10.
Appeal to the Commission
Any customer (or adult occupant of a residential service address)
who is not satisfied with GSWC’s response to their petition for
review or request for an investigation, may appeal the Commission
in accordance with Rule Nos. 5 and 10 (including depositing the
disputed amount with the Commission). Billing complaints
are handled by the CPUC’s Consumer Affairs Branch (CAB) and can
be submitted online: http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/complaints/,
by telephone: 1-800-649-7570 (8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through
Friday) or by mail: California Public Utilities Commission,
Consumer Affairs Branch, 505 Van Ness Avenue, Room 2003, San
Francisco, CA 94102. The appeal of the disputed bill to the
Commission shall be in accordance with the Commission’s Rules of
Practice and Procedure. Written documentation of an appeal filed
and diligently pursued with the Commission will prevent
discontinuation of residential water service during the official
appeal process.
Discontinuation for Nonpayment
When a bill for water service has become past due and a
discontinuance of service notice for nonpayment has been issued,
service may be discontinued if bill is not paid in full (or
alternative payment arrangements acceptable to GSWC have not been
made) within the time required by the notice. The customer’s
service, however, will not be discontinued for nonpayment until
the amount of any deposit made to establish credit for the
service has been fully absorbed. Service will not be
discontinued for nonpayment of service on any Saturday, Sunday,
legal holiday, or at any time during which GSWC business offices
are not open to the public. GSWC will avoid disconnection
of service on Fridays and a day prior to a holiday.
Pursuant to § 116918 of the California Health and Safety Code,
“An urban and community water system shall report the
number of annual discontinuations of residential service for
inability to pay on the urban and community water system’s
Internet Web site, if an Internet Web site exists, and to the
board.”
Residential service discontinuations for non-payment during the
year:
2022
15,749
2023
16,757
Restoration of Service
Once services are discontinued for nonpayment, only a full
payment for the delinquent balance will be accepted to restore
service. GSWC will charge a $40.00 reconnection fee for
service restored during regular working hours or a $120.00 after
hour reconnection fee when the customer has requested that the
reconnection be made outside of regular working hours in
accordance to Rule No. 11. GSWC may require a deposit
amount of twice the average monthly or bimonthly bill to be
rendered to re-establish credit for a customer whose service has
been discontinued for nonpayment in accordance to Rule No.
7. Payments made through the automated telephone system,
online via the internet or at an authorized third party retailer
may not post to the customer’s account for 24-48 hours, therefore
customers must report their payment to assure their services are
restored.
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