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Angels Camp outlines water-billing fixes, temporary relief and smart-meter progress
Summary
City staff told the council that 1,990 July water invoices were mailed, automated payments must be reenrolled after a software change, volumetric billing for businesses begins with protections for large-users, and the city will not assess late fees, penalties or shutoffs through Dec. 31 while it works with customers.
City staff provided an update on the water billing transition at the Angels Camp City Council meeting Sept. 16, listing near-term steps to reduce customer impacts while a new billing system is implemented.
Michelle (city staff) said July invoices (1,990) have been mailed, and August invoices were expected to mail by week’s end; customers can view and pay bills online but some users must clear browser history or reenroll because the new software encrypted stored payment information. She explained the city moved many nonresidential accounts to a volumetric billing model: a threshold of roughly 6,500 gallons remains at a flat rate and consumption above that incurs roughly $0.02 per gallon. Staff said they will contact customers whose bills increase significantly to discuss adjustments and rate-study options.
To ease the transition, Michelle announced: no late fees, penalties or shutoffs through Dec. 31, and the city will accept payments and offer payment plans for outstanding balances. Council members commended staff and asked for transparent online materials and direct outreach to businesses that could be affected by the volumetric change.
The meeting also included separate votes to approve new meter fees reflecting the cost of AMR/smart meters and costs for customer-initiated meter changes; staff said the city is funding the larger smart-meter rollout as a capital project.
