WHEN:
10:00 A.M. – Tuesday, June 27, 2023
WHERE:
LADWP Board of Commissioners Meeting Room
111 N. Hope Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
WHO:
Board of Water and Power Commissioners
Community Advocates
WHAT:
The LADWP Board of Commissioners will consider a motion at Tuesday’s Board meeting directing the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to suspend bill payment of collections-related water and power shutoffs for all customers during extreme heat and cold weather events, as issued by the National Weather Service (NWS). The proposed motion supports LADWP’s continued commitment to protecting the health and safety of all LADWP customers, particularly vulnerable residents like senior citizens, infants, young children and persons with acute medical needs and low-income customers, ensuring all Angelenos equitable access to critical water and essential power services during summer and winter extreme weather conditions.
The Motion directs the Department to adopt the issuance of local NWS alerts (eg: Heat Advisory, Excessive Heat Watch, Excessive Heat Warning during summer heat events, and corresponding alerts for cold/frost/freezing winter weather events) as the official trigger to suspend customer utility shutoffs for bill non-payment.
The proposed amendments are a significant change from the Department’s current policy in which LADWP suspends shutoffs for non-payment when temperatures reach 100 degrees or hotter. In contrast, NWS alerts assess other weather-related health risk factors such as relative humidity, day and evening hours heat duration during summer months, hypothermia risks during winter months, and how the temperature compares to average temperatures for specific locations and times of the year.
This motion is the latest action on the part of the Board of Water and Power Commissioners to improve equity and to further strengthen LADWP’s Cool LA initiative, which provides up to $225 rebates for income-qualified residents to purchase portable room air conditioners.
The Board previously approved a policy suspending disconnections for non-payment for all EZ-SAVE enrolled customers, which is open to low-income and elderly customers as well as those with disabilities.
CONTACT INFO:
LADWP Media Relations: 213-367-1323
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