The Orange Water and Sewer Authority will resume its standard collection practices beginning June 1, the agency announced in a release Monday afternoon.

The move aligns with Orange County ending its state of emergency order for the COVID-19 pandemic, with the declaration expiring on Sunday. OWASA had maintained a moratorium on service disconnections and collection of late fees since March 12, 2020, saying they wanted to continue access to water to help public health.

Under Standard Collection Practices, a customer who has a bill that is more than 60 days past due is subject to service disconnection. The Chapel Hill and Carrboro service agency said it is directly reaching out to all customers with bills more than 60 days past due.

With a June 1 restarting date for service collections, OWASA said its disconnections will restart again in August.

Funding assistance is still available for customers who have bills that are past due. According to a release, OWASA is offering fee-free payment plans for customers, which can last anywhere from six to 18 months.

“We understand the impact the pandemic has had on all customers, especially those who have now accumulated bills throughout the last two years,” OWASA’s release read. “And we are committed to working with them wherever possible to keep their water and sewer service connected.”

More information can be found here.

 

Featured image via Orange Water and Sewer Authority

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