LOS ANGELES — Mayor Eric Garcetti today doubled down on his commitment to improving customer service at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) by introducing the first ever LADWP Customer Bill of Rights.
The landmark document — unveiled today by Mayor Garcetti, LADWP Board President Mel Levine and LADWP General Manager David Wright — will formalize service standards for the utility, and promise safe, sustainable and reliable water and power service for all LADWP customers.
“Reliable, affordable, and accountable service from LADWP is not a privilege — it is a right that belongs to every Angeleno who relies on our utility,” said Mayor Garcetti. “The LADWP Customer Bill of Rights is a promise that we will never stop working to improve the customer experience, and a commitment to delivering the service all ratepayers should be able to expect — and always deserve.”
The LADWP Customer Bill of Rights makes four core commitments to LADWP customers: timely, clear and consistent customer service; reliable, safe and sustainable power; reliable and high-quality water; and a collaborative approach to implementing customer programs like rebates and incentives.
Each core commitment contains details about LADWP’s service philosophy in that area, as well as specific, measurable service standards. For example, the document promises customers that call wait times will not exceed three minutes on average, and that all questions sent via email will receive a response within 24 hours, or one business day.
The Bill of Rights also includes language that holds LADWP accountable if the utility fails to deliver adequate service. If a request to open a new residential account is not processed within one business day, for example, LADWP will waive the connection fee. And if LADWP takes longer than 10 days after the final inspection to process a new business service connection of 200 amps or less, that business will receive a $25 credit.
In addition, the document includes concrete commitments to making LADWP’s water and power service more sustainable.
“Residents and customers want the lights to come on, water to come out of the faucet, good customer service, and they want this at a fair cost,” said Councilmember Nury Martinez, who chairs the City Council’s Energy and Environment Committee. “Those are my minimum expectations. The Customer Bill of Rights will help ensure this quality of service for all Los Angeles residents.”
Mel Levine, President of the Board of Water and Power Commissioners, said, “LADWP’s most important responsibility is to all Angelenos and the communities it serves. The Customer Bill of Rights shows how seriously committed LADWP is to being the world-class utility and customer service provider that Los Angeles deserves.”
The Customer Bill of Rights is part of a broader effort by Mayor Garcetti to improve customer service at LADWP — an effort he has pushed aggressively since taking office in 2013. When Mayor Garcetti appointed David Wright as LADWP General Manager in August 2016, he directed Wright to make developing the Bill of Rights one of his first tasks.
“The Customer Bill of Rights reaffirms our commitment to our customers to provide excellent customer service through reliable water and power service, and accurate and timely billing,” Wright said. “This governs our work and service philosophy at LADWP.”
The Bill of Rights will be presented to the LADWP Board of Commissioners at its meeting later today.
For more information, and to view the full text of the LADWP Customer Bill of Rights, visit www.ladwp.com/customerbillofrights.
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