Maywood Mutual Water Company 2
Water Service Shut-Off Policy
1.Policy Statement
This policy sets forth the steps, notifications, caveats, and payment plan criteria regarding discontinuation of water
service for nonpayment by members (MMWC2 shareholders) or non-member residents.
Maywood Mutual Water Company (MMWC2) is a water utility system that serves the Maywood community of
fewer than 1,926 service connections in its entirety, and a population estimate of 6,000 persons using United
States government census data of 2.6 persons per urban household (see this link for census information:
https://www2.census.gov/geo/pdfs/reference/ua/Census_UA_2020FAQs.pdf
This policy incorporates requirements of California Senate Bill No. 3 adopted into law by the State of California on
October 13, 2023, effective August 1, 2024, regarding water company shut-off policies and procedures for non-
payment of water bills. Previously, only public water systems supplying water to greater than 200 service
connections were required to have water shut-off policies for non-payment with specific rules dictated by
California Senate Bill No. 998. California Senate Bill No. 3 expands the SB 998 application to include water systems
with fewer than 200 connections.
2.General Water Shut-Off Policy
A metered property within Maywood is subject to water service disconnection when the water bill (water charges
+ maintenance fees) is unpaid for sixty (60) days following a two-month billing period (sixty (60) day water service
billing period + thirty (30) day payment period + thirty (30) day grace period). Bills are considered delinquent if
they are not paid by the expiration of the sixty (60) day water service billing period.
A notification letter is sent to the account holder after the initial ninety (90) days (sixty (60) day water service
billing period + thirty (30) day payment period) indicating the steps needed in the subsequent thirty (30) day grace
period to avoid water shut-off.
By the end of the thirty (30) day grace period, the account holder must pay the outstanding arrearage amount or
propose a time-payment plan established by mutual agreement between the account holder and MMWC2.
If full payment of monies owed is not received by MMWC2 or a time-payment plan is not initiated by the
arrearage account holder with the water company by the end of the thirty (30) day grace period, a disconnect
notice will be generated and hung at the residence indicating the water will be turned-off and the meter locked
after seven (7) business days if all amounts owing to MMWC2 are not paid or a payment agreement is not agreed
upon.
3.Languages
This policy is available in English, the predominate language spoken within the Company’s service area. It is
unknown if at least 10 percent of the community population speaks another language, but if that is the case, this
policy can be available in that language, and any language listed in California Civil Code 1632 (Spanish, Chinese,
Tagalog, Vietnamese, or Korean) upon request by a water service customer (see this link for language information
regarding California Civil Code 1632: https://codes.findlaw.com/ca/civil-code/civ-sect-1632/).
4.Notification
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Account holders subject to water service disconnection shall be notified by MWC2 with an offer to provide the
following:
1)a written copy of MMWC2’s water shut-off policy
2)account arrearage details of monies owed and mitigation options to rectify the account balance
3) additional options to avert discontinuation of water service, e.g. bill review, payment plans, procedure for
board of directors review of the member or resident proposal to remedy the debt
A.Notification Procedure
1. A written notice of payment delinquency and impending water service shut-off shall be mailed to the account
holder residence, or property to which the water service is provided. If the member’s address is not the address
of the property to which service is provided, the notice also shall be sent to the address of the property to which
service is provided, addressed to “Occupant.” The notice shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following
information in a clear and legible format:
•Member or resident’s name and address
•Amount that is past due
•Date by which payment or payment arrangements are required to avoid termination of service
•Description of the process to dispute or appeal a bill
•MMWC2 phone number and written shut-off policy
•A description of the procedure by which the member or resident may request a deferred, reduced, or
alternative payment schedule, including an amortization of the delinquent residential service charges,
consistent with the written policy provided
2. If MMWC2 is unable to make contact with the account holder, or an adult occupying the residence by
telephone, and written notice is returned through the mail as undeliverable, MMWC2 shall make a good faith
effort to visit the residence and leave, or make other arrangements for placement in a conspicuous place of, a
notice of imminent discontinuation of water service for non-payment and MWC2’s water shut-off policy for non-
payment.
3. If an adult at the residence appeals the water bill to MWC2 or any other administrative or legal body to which
that appeal may be lawfully taken, MMWC2 shall not discontinue residential service while the appeal is pending.
5.Member or Resident Appeals
Members (MMWC2 shareholders) or non-member residents receiving water service may contact the water
company at any time during office hours to discuss water service billing amounts, disputes, deferred payments via
payment plans, or any aspect of water service. Arrearage or other billing issues or requests for payment plans
(including proposed terms), may be e-mailed, or USPS mailed to the water company office, as well. Attendance at
monthly MMWC2 board of director meeting is welcomed and encouraged.
Any billing disputes unresolved by office personnel, or proposed arrearage payment plans expressed, will be
discussed and mitigated by the water company board of directors at regular monthly meetings in executive
sessions, as necessary.
Properties will not be shut-off for water service during the appeal of an initial arrearage mitigation plan process.
Water company contact information, office hours, and board meeting times are noted on billing and news letters
mailed to residents.
This water shut-off policy is available in written form upon request.
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6.Member or Resident Payment Plans
Time-payment plans shall be negotiated on a case-by-case basis with all arrearages to be paid within no longer
than a 12-month period (possibly longer for special category cases, see Section 8B). Interest and penalty charges
shall continue to accrue on any outstanding debt until paid-off. As specified in Section 8C, if the account holder
defaults on any payment during the time-payment period, i.e. misses a monthly payment, (60 days for special
category cases, see Section 8) and that default continues for at least sixty (60) days without being cured, the
account holder will have five (5) business days to remit payment or, a disconnect notice will be generated and
hung at the residence indicating the water will be turned off and the meter locked in seven (7) business days.
7.General Process for Restoring Water Service
Once the water service is turned-off and meter locked, all water charges, maintenance fees, late fees, hang-notice
and re-connect fees are required to be paid in-full, or a mutually agreed upon time-payment plan is initiated to
pay-off charges before water service is restored (see current MMWC2 water rates & fees schedule, and Section 9
for Special Rules fees).
__MWC will endeavor to reconnect service as soon as practicable but, at a minimum, will restore service before
the end of the next regular working day following payment.
Water service that is turned on by any person other than MMWC2 personnel or without MMWC2 authorization
may be subject to fines or additional charges or fees. Any damages that occur as a result of unauthorized
restoration of service are the responsibility of the account holder.
8.Conditions Prohibiting Water Service Shut-Off for Non-Payment of Service
__MWC shall NOT discontinue residential water service if ALL of the following conditions are met:
1. Health Conditions: The member or tenant of the member submits certification of a primary care provider, as
that term is defined in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 14088 of the California
Welfare and Institutions Code (see this link for primary care provider definitions:
https://codes.findlaw.com/ca/welfare-and-institutions-code/wic-sect-14088/), that discontinuation of water
service would be 1) life threatening, or 2) pose a serious threat to the health and safety of a person residing at the
property;
2. Financial Inability: The resident demonstrates a financial inability to pay for water service within the water
system’s normal billing cycle. The resident is deemed “financially unable to pay” if any member of the resident’s
household is 1) a current recipient of the following benefits: CalWORKS, CalFresh, general assistance, Medi-Cal,
SSI/State Supplementary Payment Program, or California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women,
Infants, and Children, or 2) the resident declares the household’s annual income is less than 200% of the federal
poverty level (see this link for the federal poverty levels applicable in California:
https://www.coveredca.com/pdfs/FPL-chart.pdf limits); and
3. Alternative Payment Arrangements: The resident is willing to enter into an amortization agreement or
alternative payment schedule, or a plan for deferred or reduced payment, consistent with the written policies
provided with respect to all delinquent charges.
A.Process for Determining Conditions Prohibiting Water Service Shut-Off for Non-Payment of Service
The process of proving compliance with the conditions described in 1. Health Conditions, 2. Financial Inability,
and 3. Alternative Payment Arrangements, is incumbent upon the member or resident.
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In order to allow MMWC2 sufficient time to process any request for assistance by a member or resident, the
member or resident is encouraged to provide MMWC2 with the necessary documentation demonstrating the
medical issue, financial inability, and willingness to enter into payment arrangements in a timely manner.
If MWC requests additional information, the customer shall provide the requested information within five (5)
calendar days of receipt of MMWC2’s request.
MMWC2 will notify the member or resident in writing that the member or resident does not meet the
conditions to prohibiting service shut-off or notify the member or resident in writing of the alternative payment
arrangement approved.
If the member or resident does not meet the conditions prohibiting discontinuation of service, payment for all
delinquent amounts are due within five (5) business days after the date of notification of MWC2’s determination
or the date of the impending service discontinuation, whichever is later.
B.Rules for Accounts in the Prohibitive Shut-off Category where ALL Conditions are Met
If all three conditions are met, 1. Health Conditions, 2. Financial Inability, and 3. Alternative Payment
Arrangements, MMWC2 shall offer the member or resident one or more of the following options:
∙Amortization of the unpaid balance
∙Participation in an alternative payment schedule
∙A partial or full reduction of the unpaid balance financed without additional charges to other ratepayers
∙Temporary deferral of payment.
MWC2 may choose which of the payment options the member or resident undertakes and may set the
parameters of that payment option. The repayment option offered should result in repayment of any remaining
outstanding balance within 12 months, as it is for other arrearage residents. MMWC2 may grant a longer
repayment period if it finds the longer period is necessary to avoid undue hardship to the member or resident
based on the circumstances of the individual case.
C.Water Shut-off for Non-Compliance of Payment Plan Agreement
Water service may be discontinued no sooner than five (5) business days after MMWC2 posts a final notice of
intent to disconnect service in a prominent and conspicuous location at the property under either of the
following circumstances:
1.The member or resident fails to comply with an amortization agreement, an alternative payment schedule,
or a deferral or reduction in payment plan for delinquent charges for 60 days or more.
2. While undertaking an amortization agreement, an alternative payment schedule, or a deferral or reduction
in payment plan for delinquent charges, the member or resident does not pay their current water service
charges for 60 days or more.
9.Special Rules for Residents with Income Below 200 Percent of Federal Poverty Line
For a member or resident who demonstrates to MWC2 household income below 200 percent of the federal
poverty line, MMWC2 is required to adhere to both of the following:
1.Set a reconnection of service fee for reconnection during normal operating hours at fifty dollars ($50), but not
to exceed the actual cost of reconnection if it is less. Reconnection fees shall be subject to an annual
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adjustment for changes in the Consumer Price Index beginning January 1, 2021. For the reconnection of
residential service during nonoperational hours, MMWC2 shall set a reconnection of service fee at one
hundred fifty dollars ($150), but not to exceed the actual cost of reconnection if it is less. Reconnection fees
shall be subject to an annual adjustment for changes in the Consumer Price Index beginning January 1, 2021.
2.Waive interest charges on delinquent bills once every 12 months. MMWC2 shall deem a member or resident
to have a household income below 200 percent of the federal poverty line if any member of the household is
a current recipient of CalWORKs, CalFresh, general assistance, Medi-Cal, Supplemental Security Income/State
Supplementary Payment Program, or California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants,
and Children, or the member or resident declares that the household’s annual income is less than 200
percent of the federal poverty level.
10.Multi-Residence Properties with ADUs Served through a Master Meter
Pursuant to MMWC2’s by-laws and water service connection policy: “No water shall be supplied to any land
unless the owner thereof is a member in this corporation; no more service connections shall be made to mains of
this corporation than are authorized under the corporation’s duly issued water distribution system operating
permit; MMW2C shall only provide metered water to legal property parcels per the Los Angeles County Assessors
Map. MMW2C is under no obligation to provide a separate water service, metered or otherwise, to any building
or Additional Dwelling Unit (ADU) on any property within the Company’s service area. Ref: CA SB13 & CA AB881.”
Thus, MMWC only recognizes the service connection to each parcel within the Company’s service area relative to
the Los Angeles County Assessor’s official parcel map. Any and all water service issues pertaining to ADU
occupants, or between the member (MMWC shareholder) and residents of any ADUs on the property is
independent of MMWC2.
11.Annual Shut-Off Reporting
MMWC2 shall provide (report) the number of annual discontinuations of water service (shut-offs) for inability to
pay to the California State Water Resource Control Board (SWRCB), if, or when provided the reporting tool,
reporting schedule, and reporting protocol by the SWRCB.
12.Unauthorized Actions of Members or Residents
California Senate Bill No. 3 and subsequently, this water service shut-off policy, applies ONLY to termination of
water service for non-payment and do NOT apply to the termination of water service provided to properties that
are found to have members or residents that have engaged in illegal or unauthorized acts, or community water
contamination safety violations, e.g. tampering with meters, damaging (shut-off) meter locks, altering service
connections, circumventing meter connections for water supply, have hazardous cross-connection scenarios
requiring immediate water shut-off, violate non-monetary provisions of the MWC2 Rules and Regulations, etc.