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Councilmember Darby presses ordinance to bar water shutoffs for seniors, disabled residents and households with young children
Summary
Councilwoman Shenae Darby presented a substitute to Ordinance 25-017 to exempt seniors, people with disabilities and households with children under five from water service disconnection, adding income thresholds for each category. Darby disputed Office of Management and Budget estimates that the policy could reduce collections by $500,000–$1.7M per year.
Councilwoman Shenae Darby presented Substitute No. 2 to Ordinance 25-017 on June 8, proposing exemptions from water-service disconnection for seniors, people with disabilities and households with children under age five, with income thresholds added for each category.
"So this ordinance is targeted to protect vulnerable populations," Darby said, framing the measure as part of a broader discussion on water affordability rather than a complete affordability strategy.
Council members raised questions about fiscal effects after a fiscal-impact statement—prepared by OMB, part of the administration—estimated the city could be unable to collect roughly $500,000 to $1.7 million per year if shutoff authority were removed. Darby disputed that projection, saying OMB's estimate relied on worst‑case behavioral assumptions and did not incorporate research from other cities or local assistance-program data.
"They assume some residents may choose not to pay if shut off authority is removed, which isn't true," Darby said, adding that past pauses on shutoffs (including during COVID and during a recent billing-system transition) did not lead to system collapse and that people still sought assistance.
Darby also told the committee she had added income eligibility thresholds for the three protected categories after consulting with colleagues, to address concerns that higher-income seniors could otherwise qualify unintentionally. Members asked for additional data: a clearer delinquency rate and how many shutoffs have occurred in 2026; Darby reported that shutoffs were paused around the system migration earlier this year and that she would follow up with the administration for current numbers.
The committee did not take a final vote; the ordinance will be on the June 18 full council agenda for further action.
