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Office of Water Advocacy explains appeals process as council seeks better billing outreach
Summary
Council members pressed DPW on water billing delays and the Office of Water Advocacy and Customer Appeals described a repeatable, written dispute process and plans to expand staffing and outreach for non-English speakers and customers with access barriers.
Vice President Middleton and other council members asked DPW to explain how the Office of Water Advocacy and Customer Appeals assists customers who have unresolved billing disputes, missed bills, or language and technology barriers.
Marco (staff, Office of Equity/Advocacy) and a department official identified in the hearing as "Mills" described the office’s collaborative intake process. "Irrespective of how they get to the office, we will register their dispute," Mills said, explaining that the office accepts phone calls, referrals from community partners or legislative offices, and does not require customers to complete a form or appear in person.
Toya Sykes, chief of the Office of Customer Support and Services Division, walked the council through the office’s repeatable investigation process. "Once they have reached our office, they schedule a time. I vet every dispute initially," Sykes said. Investigations produce a written report for the customer and, when relief is appropriate, an adjustment recommendation. Sykes said customers dissatisfied with the office’s outcome can appeal to the Environmental Control Board.
Council members raised recurring problems with skipped or late bills following a June 2024 billing-system upgrade. Sykes said DPW is working with the vendor (Itineris), has a 90‑day action plan to correct high-priority glitches and is already seeing reduced missed-bill trends: "We've been able to bill more of our customers on a consistent basis as recent as April of this year."
Council members also pressed whether the advocacy office has sufficient staffing and outreach. Mills said the office is interviewing and using an HBCU fellows pipeline for temporary support and is coordinating with communications to put the office and printed materials on the DPW website and into community distribution.
Ending: DPW said it will provide follow-up materials on the appeals intake flow, staffing plans and the planned public rollout to make the advocacy office easier to find and use.
