Budget committee backs retroactive $9.3 million ARPA wastewater arrearage fund for SFPUC

The Budget & Finance Committee on Sept. 7 voted to forward a resolution authorizing the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission to retroactively accept and expend roughly $9,300,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds administered by the State Water Resources Control Board to help residential and commercial customers pay wastewater arrears accrued between March 4, 2020, and June 15, 2021.

Jeremy Spitz of SFPUC policy and government affairs told the committee the funds were part of a larger $985 million appropriation to water and wastewater agencies and that water and wastewater programs were undersubscribed, allowing the funds to cover arrears and reimburse utilities for pandemic discounts. Spitz said the funding had to be distributed quickly and that the PUC had applied on March 15, 2022, received state approval April 28 and the check May 23, leading to the retroactive request.

Committee members praised the work to deliver relief. Chair Supervisor Hillary Ronan asked to be added as a cosponsor and moved to forward the resolution to the full Board with a positive recommendation. Vice Chair Supervisor Asha Safaei voted aye; Ronan voted aye. No public commenters registered on the phone line.

The vote was recorded as two ayes with Member Mar excused; the committee’s action forwards the resolution to the full Board on the Sept. 13 agenda.

The resolution authorizes the SFPUC to accept and expend the ARPA wastewater funds and does not itself change allocation rules; the PUC presentation stated about 80% of discounts went to residential customers and 20% to commercial customers. The committee was told additional related accept‑and‑expend items for state‑funded utility debt relief for power may return to the committee in spring 2023.

The full Board is scheduled to consider the item on Sept. 13 when the committee’s recommendation will be part of the official file.