State Water Board to Hold Webinar on Arrearage Payment Program Application by ACWA Staff Oct 13, 2021 Water News The State Water Resources Control Board on Oct. 20 will hold a public webinar training session on how to complete the California Water and Wastewater Arrearage Payment Program Application. The application information and attachments will be used to issue payments to community water systems for their arrearages. The webinar is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Oct. 20 and registration is now open online. The presentation will be emailed to registered participants prior to the webinar so ACWA members interested in attending are encouraged to register now. The training will include an overview of the program, the purpose of the arrearage application, information on how to access the application, an overview of the application questions and attachments and how to access assistance to complete the application. Background The State Water Board on Sept. 21 adopted the “California Water and Wastewater Arrearage Payment Program Guidelines: Water Arrearages.” The guidelines establish the regulatory requirements for the distribution of the $985 million in COVID-19 relief funding for water arrearages. The funding covers water debt from residential and commercial customers accrued between March 4, 2020 and June 15, 2021. The State Water Board surveyed community water systems from Aug. 11 through Sept. 10, 2021. The application is available in the electronic annual report (EAR) platform and community water systems that completed the survey and reported arrearages had access to the application starting Oct. 5. Community water systems that did not submit the survey may still participate in the arrearages program by filling out an abbreviated survey that is also available through the EAR platform. The application will be open through Dec. 6, 2021. ACWA and other statewide water associations advocated for months to secure federal funding and state appropriation of California’s share of that funding through the state budget process to assist with COVID-19-related customer arrearages. ACWA and the other associations also provided input into how the state should distribute the funding in an equitable and efficient manner to community water systems and wastewater treatment providers. More information on the California Water and Wastewater Arrearage Payment Program is available online.
