Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced relief for customers of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) facing high utility bills after months of punishing heat waves, in an official statement posted on October 20. 'For seniors and people with health conditions, air conditioning isn't a luxury. It's essential to staying safe,' Bass said.

Source: Office of Mayor Karen Bass, City of Los Angeles

Under the plan, LADWP customers can pay what they can afford now, and Bass asked the LADWP Board to pause shutoffs through the end of the year for customers facing higher bills after the record heat. 'No LADWP customer who is unable to pay their residential bill will have their electricity or water turned off for the remainder of this year,' she said in the statement, which LADWP's own news site also published.

A LADWP spokesperson said the changes will be implemented immediately, and the Board of Water and Power Commissioners is expected to formally vote on the request at its next meeting on October 27 at 10 a.m., LAist reported via The LA Local. Customers who need assistance will get extra time to pay by entering a payment arrangement without interest or late fees, the spokesperson said.

Source: LAist via The LA Local

How high the bills went

LADWP bills two months at a time, and the current bills cover August and September — among the highest of the year, LAist reported. Of LADWP's 1.6 million customers, 2% received a bill of over $3,000, 3% were between $2,000 and $3,000, 12% were between $1,000 and $2,000, and 18% were between $500 and $1,000, according to figures LADWP gave LAist. The rest were under $500.

The relief is a pause, not forgiveness. Customers will still owe the money for electricity and water they used, Parriva reported in its guide to the plan, and LADWP offers repayment arrangements to spread balances over time. Bass also encouraged customers to enrol in the Level Pay programme, which averages bills over 12 months, and said low-income seniors and households should consider the Lifeline or EZ-Save programmes. From next month, LADWP will also send every residential customer information about their usage and how to conserve, her statement said.

The announcement came a day after mayoral candidate Nithya Raman held a news conference with her own three-point plan — auditing LADWP, reviewing executive pay and requiring officials to explain rates before the City Council — MyNewsLA reported.

Source: MyNewsLA