By WECT Staff | March 10, 2021 at 11:13 AM EST – Updated March 10 at 11:13 AM
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – After scrapping plans for a water restriction devices for delinquent accounts and suspending service disconnections since last year, the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority Board has approved several revisions for late payers.
“CFPUA has suspended service disconnections for delinquent residential customers since February 2020. Several regional utilities already have resumed delinquency-related service disconnections. A recent study showed that water systems serving 50 percent of North Carolina residents already have resumed or plan to resume disconnections,” according to a press release.
Under the new rules service disconnections will be a last resort and accounts with high outstanding balances will be enrolled in a payment plan.
The exact changes include:
- “Beginning in May 2021 residential customers whose accounts are delinquent by $450 or more for at least 60 days will automatically be enrolled in 12-month, interest-free payment plans.
- Starting September 1, 2021, customers in default on payment plans or who become delinquent on or after September 1, 2021, would become eligible for water service disconnections, a last-resort collections measure intended to nudge customers to contact CFPUA to discuss a plan for bringing their accounts up to date. Customers who establish a payment plan with CFPUA and follow the terms of the plan would not be eligible for disconnection.
- Beginning this month, customers with separate meters for irrigation would have their irrigation meters disconnected if their accounts are delinquent or they are currently on payment plans. Irrigation meters would be reconnected once a customer’s account is current.”
“Residential customers who are interested in establishing a payment plan before automatic enrollment begins may do so by calling CFPUA Customer Service at 910-332-6550, or by using the online contact form at CFPUA.org/CSForm,” the release concludes.
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