Three CWA-Sponsored Customer Protection Bills Signed into Law

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Governor Jerry Brown has signed the last of three bills sponsored by the California Water Association (CWA) in the 2016 California legislative session that strengthen customer benefits and protections in the Water Code and Public Utilities Code. CWA represents 108 investor-owned water companies (IOWC) throughout the state that are regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).

Assembly Bill 1180 directs the CPUC to evaluate the potential for repealing transaction fees levied on IOWC customers paying their water bills by credit or debit card, or by other forms of electronic or on-line payment. Assembly Bill 2874 ensures the CPUC is notified about costs imposed by groundwater sustainability agencies that ultimately will be passed on to IOWC customers. Senate Bill 1456 extends the current loan forgiveness provisions available to government water agencies under California’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program to all community water systems with 3,300 or fewer service connections serving a disadvantaged community—including those regulated by the CPUC. For the regulated utilities, the loan forgiveness provision applies to capital improvements made by these systems.

“California Water Association and its member companies are committed to protecting customers from fees and other costs that are unnecessarily and unfairly imposed,” said CWA President Greg Milleman. Milleman, who is Director of Field Operations for California Water Service Company, also said, “CWA thanks the Governor and Assembly Member Cristina Garcia, Assembly Member Beth Gaines and Senator Cathleen Galgiani for their leadership in working to ensure IOWC customers receive the same protections and benefits afforded to customers of municipal water providers.”

 

From Archive

• Most Read
• Most Commented