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LA County approves water bill forgiveness for some firestorm survivors
Fallon Prockiw-Kline, center, in front of her home. It was destroyed by the Palisades Fire, in Malibu.
(
Etienne Laurent
/
Associated Press
)
Topline:
L.A. County will reimburse or forgo charging water fees for people who were displaced by the Palisades, Franklin and Broad fires and are looking to rebuild their homes and businesses.
Why now: The L.A. County Board of Supervisors approved the motion Tuesday without discussion. Details on the motion are here.
Why it matters: Many of the homes that were damaged or destroyed during the fires “incurred leaks and damaged pipes,” according to L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, who authored the motion. The damages lead to “significant water charges” before the pipes could be manually closed off by firefighters or utility crews.
Helping survivors rebuild: Horvath also noted that the water district typically levies fees and charges on new or redeveloped structures. However, “given that most of [the projects in the area] will be simple reconnections to the system,” she added, the district “should forgo charging, or refund, water supply charges and other fees.”
What else to know: The county estimates around $6 million in lost revenue to cover the potential water bill forgiveness and refunds. The motion went into effect on Tuesday. Los Angeles County Waterworks District No. 29 will review affected accounts and issue final bills accordingly, reflecting any applicable relief. If you have questions, call (877) 637-366.
The backstory: In late January, the county instructed water companies to “work cooperatively with affected customers to resolve unpaid bills and minimize disconnections for nonpayment.” This included extending “reasonable payment options to affected customers.”
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