After a year and a half of suspending disconnections because of the pandemic, San Antonio Water System will resume disconnections due to non-payment beginning Tuesday, October 19.
The utility is urging customers to set up payment plans as soon as possible to avoid having their water service interrupted.
“The last thing we want is to add hardships to families that are struggling, so it’s crucial they contact us if they’re at risk of disconnection.,” said Mary Bailey, vice president of Customer Experience and Strategic Initiatives. “Customers enrolled in payment plans will not have their service cut off.”
At the start of the pandemic, approximately 5,000 accounts were delinquent; that number has since risen to more than 65,000 as of September 2021.
“We’ve held off disconnections since March 2020, but it’s become imperative that SAWS return to our regular business process,” Bailey said, adding that most accounts with delinquent balances have been automatically enrolled in four-year payment plans. If those customers make 18 months of payments, plus their current bill, SAWS will write off the rest of the overdue balance.
SAWS has contacted customers who are at risk of being disconnected and encouraged them to make payment arrangements that would help them get current with their account. Officials emphasize that those with leak issues may be eligible for an adjustment if they get in touch with customer service. Visit saws.org/leakadjust for more information.
To set up a payment plan, customers should visit saws.org/getcurrent or call 210-704-SAWS (7297).
Customers struggling to pay their water bill could qualify for payment assistance through SAWS Uplift, which offers 14 different programs to help ease the burden of utility costs. Learn more at saws.org/uplift.