Initiatives provide discounts of up to 35 percent for residential customers and up to 20 percent for small businesses and nonprofits impacted by COVID-19 pandemic 

San Francisco, CA –For the third time, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) is extending its Emergency Residential Community Assistance Program, which is designed to help residential customers struggling to pay their water, sewer and Hetch Hetchy power bills during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program, which launched in May in 2020, was set to expire in June 2021, but will be extended through March 2022, as families continue to deal with the financial fallout of the global pandemic.

In addition, a similar emergency assistance program to help nonprofit organizations and small businesses has been extended through March 2022. That program, which provides 20 percent discounts off water and sewer bills for eligible businesses and nonprofit organizations struggling to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, was set to expire in June as well.

Customers can learn more about available bill relief programs at sfpuc.org/billrelief.

The SFPUC has also extended its suspension of water and power shut offs due to late payments, postponement of liens and collections, waiver of late fees, and rental payment deferments for tenants of our facilities.

“As vaccines continue to roll out and Californians practice safe social distancing and mask wearing, we are seeing the health crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic finally wane, but the economic ramifications of this deadly disease are still being felt,” said SFPUC Acting General Manager Michael Carlin. “If our city is going to fully recover from the pandemic, our families and businesses need to be financially stable, and for that to happen, many of them will need help paying their utility bills for the near future. We know that we are all in this together.”

The SFPUC Commission voted to approve extensions to the programs at its meeting on Tuesday. It previously approved extensions to the program in June and December of 2021.

Residential customers who have been financially impacted as a result of COVID-19 and had a pre-pandemic maximum household income under 200 percent of the San Francisco Area Median Income are eligible to apply for the Emergency Residential Community Assistance Program. The emergency program’s expanded income thresholds have made many more residents eligible for a discount on their SFPUC utility bills.

The following reduced rates are available:

• 35 percent off sewer bills
• 30 percent off Hetch Hetchy power bills
• 15 percent off water bills

To enroll in the program, eligible customers can complete an online application form here. Existing participants will be automatically enrolled into the extended residential assistance program. 

Since the program launched in May 2020, more than 5,239 residential customers have benefited from the initiative. Those customers have saved a monthly average of $50 on their water and sewer bills and Hetch Hetchy power bills. 

To qualify for the program, residential customers must:

• Be a residential customer seeking a discount for your primary residence, with an SFPUC account serving only your dwelling unit under your own name; and 
• Have experienced a loss of income related to COVID-19 or the shelter-in-place order and be experiencing financial hardship and difficulty paying your water and sewer and/or Hetch Hetchy power bills. 
• The Emergency Nonprofit and Small Business Assistance Program was launched in July 2020 by the SFPUC. To qualify for the 20 percent discount, small businesses and nonprofit organizations must show the following:
• An active water and wastewater account from the SFPUC that is not for residential or municipal use. The account must be in the name of the nonprofit or business, or in the name of its owner and manager. Landlords and property managers cannot apply on behalf of their tenants.
• A demonstrated loss of income related to COVID-19 or the shelter-in-place orders that are resulting in financial hardships. 
• A maximum of 50 full-time employees before the City’s shelter-in-place order began on March 16.

Since that program was launched, nearly 1,100 nonprofit organizations and small businesses have benefitted, receiving an average monthly savings of $219.

While the SFPUC is committed to extending the emergency assistance programs as a short-term solution to the financial difficulties brought on by the coronavirus, the agency is advocating at the federal and state levels for both emergency assistance and long-term funding solutions to the affordability issues facing its customers. Additionally, the SFPUC is calling for increased federal investment in utility infrastructure to ensure that rates remain affordable for all ratepayers. The SFPUC is also engaging with other utilities locally and at the state level to pilot alternative payment options. 

As always, SFPUC payment programs are available for customers who need more flexibility paying their utility bills. 
The SFPUC already offers discounted rates to customers whose income makes them eligible under federal guidelines through its permanent Community Assistance Programs (CAP) for water and sewer and Hetchy Hetchy Power. The agency is working to proactively reach out to customers who may qualify for these longer-term savings programs that won’t expire, in addition to temporary bill relief programs.  

About the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) is a department of the City and County of San Francisco. It delivers drinking water to 2.7 million people in the San Francisco Bay Area, collects and treats wastewater for the City and County of San Francisco, and generates clean power for municipal buildings, residential customers, and businesses. Our mission is to provide our customers with high quality, efficient and reliable water, power, and sewer services in a manner that values environmental and community interests and sustains the resources entrusted to our care. Learn more at www.sfpuc.org. 

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