Overdue water bill payment plan set

District helps ratepayers facing financial hardships

The Marin Municipal Water District is giving ratepayers up to five years to pay overdue water bills in response to the financial hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The unanimous decision by the district board is a response to the near doubling of customers with delinquent accounts during the pandemic. About 7,500 customer accounts, or about 12% of the district total, were late on their water bills by more than 60 days as of the end of 2020. By comparison, about 3,990 customers were delinquent in December 2019.

The amount of owed money nearly tripled during that time frame, from $700,000 in December 2019 to $2.7 million a year later, according to the district. When taking into account customers who are only 30 days late on their bills, the amount owed increases to $3.4 million.

Under the new program, customers with delinquent accounts will automatically be enrolled in a five-year, zero-interest repayment plan but can opt out at any time.

“I’d say we’re definitely leading the pack in terms of thinking about this and taking this sort of action,” Ben Horenstein, the district’s general manager, told the board on Tuesday in response to a question on whether other water agencies are taking similar steps.

Only customers with delinquent accounts before Dec. 31, 2021, will be enrolled in the extended repayment plan; thereafter, the district will revert back to its regular 12-month repayment period.

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