Philadelphia Water Department Delays Shutting Off Water For Delinquent Residential Customers Due To Heat Emergency
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Philadelphia Water Department has delayed shutting the water off for delinquent residential customers due to the heat emergency impacting the region. Shutoffs were scheduled to start on Wednesday, but a spokesperson for the department told CBS3 that shutoffs will resume once the emergency declaration is lifted.
It will be the first time in two years the Philadelphia Water Department will shut off the water for delinquent residential customers.
Once the heat emergency is lifted, some workers will be shutting off service to customers if they have unpaid bills totaling more than $1,000 and haven't signed up for water bill assistance or enrolled in a payment plan.
"For those who do get a shutoff notice, we need them to reach out to us right away," Brian Rademaekers, a water department spokesperson, said. "If you haven't gotten shut off yet, it's not too late. You can still enter into a payment program, you can request a customer assistance application. Just by requesting that application, that will give you some time to avoid a shutoff."
Shutoff notices started going out in June.
The water department is giving people an opportunity to avoid a shutoff.
There are assistance programs. For more information on how to access them, click here.
