Discontinuation of Residential Water Service for Nonpayment
NORTHSTAR COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT
Adopted by Resolution 25-04 of the Board of Directors on March 19, 2025
1. Purpose. This Policy has been established to document Northstar Community Services District practices when disconnecting residential water service due to nonpayment and to ensure compliance with the District’s Water Ordinance 21-05 and the requirements set forth in Senate Bill 998, the Water Shutoff Protection Act, starting with California Health and Safety Code §116900.
In the event of any conflict between this Policy and any ordinance, policy, or rule of the District, this Policy shall prevail. To the extent there is any inconsistency between this Policy and California law, California law will control.
2. Delinquencies and the Discontinuation of Water Service as determined by Health and Safety Code §116908.
A. If payment has not been received within 60 days of the billing due date, the District will consider a residential water service account delinquent. Additionally, the District may initiate a severance process for the delinquent account that includes the discontinuation of water service.
B. A written notice of Discontinuation of Service shall be mailed through the U.S. Postal Service to the customer of the residence to which the residential service is provided no less than 7 business days before discontinuation of residential service for nonpayment. If that address is not the address of the property to which service is provided, a second notice will be sent to the address of the property to which service is provided, addressed to “Occupant.”
C. In the event that contact cannot be made with the customer or an adult occupying the residence by telephone, and written notice is returned through the mail as undeliverable, the District shall make a good faith effort to visit the residence a second time and leave, or make other arrangements for placement in a conspicuous place of, a notice of imminent discontinuation of residential service for nonpayment and the District’s policy for discontinuation of residential service for nonpayment
3. Special Circumstances.
A. If an adult at the residence has appealed the water bill to the District or any other administrative or legal body to which such an appeal may be lawfully taken, the District shall not discontinue residential service for nonpayment while the appeal is pending.
B. If all conditions listed in items (i) through (iii) are met, the District shall not discontinue residential service for nonpayment and the General Manager, or designee, will offer the customer either 1) an Amortization of the unpaid balance, 2) an Alternative Payment Schedule, or 3) a Temporary Deferral of payment and may set the parameters of that payment option as detailed within the Enforcement Section (Section 12) of the NCSD Water Ordinance 21-05.
(i) The customer, or tenant of the customer, submits to the District the certification of a primary care provider, as the term is defined in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 14088 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, that discontinuation of residential service will be life threatening to, or pose a serious threat to the health and safety, of a resident of the premises where residential service is provided.
(ii) The customer demonstrates the inability to pay for residential service within the District’s normal billing cycle. The customer shall be deemed financially unable to pay for residential service within the District’s normal billing cycle if any member of the customer’s household is a current recipient of CalWORKs, CalFresh, general assistance, Medi-Cal, Supplemental Security Income/State Supplemental Payment Program, or California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or the customer declares that the household’s annual income is less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
(iii) The customer is willing to enter into an amortization agreement, alternative payment schedule, or a plan for deferred or reduced payment with respect to all delinquent charges that is offered by the District.
C. Customers will not be permitted to make more than 2 payment arrangements within a single calendar year.
D. If a customer engages in one of the payment arrangements described in this section and fails to comply either through nonpayment or uncollectible funds (insufficient funds, closed account, etc.), residential water service may be discontinued no sooner than 5 business days after the District posts a final notice of intent to disconnect service in a prominent and conspicuous location at the property. This shall be carried out under either of the following circumstances:
(i) The customer fails to comply with an amortization agreement, an alternative payment schedule, or a deferral or reduction in payment plan for delinquent charges for 60 days or more.
(ii) While undertaking an amortization agreement, an alternative payment schedule, or deferral or reduction in payment plan for delinquent charges, the customer does not pay his or her current residential service charges for 60 days or more.
4. Payment Options for Delinquent Charges.
A. Pay Online. Customers may make an online payment by credit card or ACH by by selecting the “Pay My Bill” link from the homepage of the www.northstarcsd.org website. Customers need not register to make an online payment.
B. Pay by US Mail. Customers may send the bottom portion of their bill with a check, money order, or cashier’s check payable to: Northstar Community Services District, 900 Northstar Drive, Truckee, CA 96161.
C. Pay in Person. Customers may make a payment in person by check or credit card at the NCSD Administrative office, 900 Northstar Drive, Truckee, CA 96161.
C. Pay by Phone. Customers may contact NCSD Customer Service at 1-530-562-0747 to pay by credit card or ACH.
5. Collection Options for Delinquent Charges.
A. Pursuant to Government Code §61115(a)(3)(C), the District will penalize a customer for the nonpayment of charges at a rate not more than 10 percent, plus an additional penalty of not more than 1 percent per month for the nonpayment of the charges and the basic penalty.
B. Pursuant to Government Code §61115(b), the District may collect any delinquent charges and penalties on the tax roll in the same manner as property taxes.
C. Pursuant to Government Code §61115(c), the Board of Directors authorizes the General Manager or designee to recover any charges and penalties by recording with the Placer county recorder’s office a certificate declaring the amount of the charges and penalties due, and the name and last known address of the person liable for those charges and penalties. Once the certificate has been recorded, the amount of the charges and penalties constitutes a lien against all real property of the delinquent property owner with the lien having the force, effect, and priority of a judgment lien.
6. Contesting or Appealing a Billed Amount.
A. Should a customer have a complaint or dispute regarding service or the accuracy of a bill or other charges, the customer has the right to meet with the General Manager to discuss the circumstances and present evidence to support their position as detailed within the Enforcement Section (Section 12) of the NCSD Water Ordinance 21-05.
B. If the customer is not satisfied with the decision, the customer may appeal that decision to the Board of Directors which is also detailed within the Enforcement Section (Section 12) of the NCSD Water Ordinance 21-05.
C. The decision of the Board of Directors shall be final. Should the Board of Directors not render a decision within 60 days of receipt of the appeal (to the Board of Directors), this failure to act shall be considered a denial of the requested action, unless the District has informed the customer in writing of its intention to extend the resolution period.
7. Customer Assistance and Support. If customers have questions about their utility billing statements or would like to discuss options for avoiding the discontinuation of residential water service for nonpayment, they may contact NCSD Customer Service at 1-530-562-0747 or visit the District’s Administrative Office located at 900 Northstar Drive, Truckee, CA 96161. Customers may also refer to the back of their billing statement to learn more about payment options, due dates and penalties, fees and charges, and how billing questions may be addressed.
8. Restoration of Water Service.
A. The District shall provide the customer with information on how to restore residential service. For a residential customer who demonstrates to the District that the household income is below 200 percent of the federal poverty line, the District shall do both of the following:
(i) Set reconnection of service fee for reconnection during normal operating hours in an amount that does not exceed $50 or the actual cost of reconnection if it is less. For the reconnection of residential service during nonoperational hours, the District shall set a reconnection of service fee that does not exceed $150, or the actual cost of reconnection during non-operational hours if it is less.
(ii) The maximum amount of $50 for reconnection during operational hours and $150 during nonoperational hours shall be subject to an annual adjustment for changes in the Consumer Price Index beginning January 1, 2021. The District shall use the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward area for determining the increase in the Consumer Price Index.
(iii) Waive interest charges on delinquent bills once every 12 months.
B. The District shall consider a residential customer to have a household income below 200 percent of the federal poverty line if any member of the household is a current recipient of CalWORKs, CalFresh, general assistance, Medi-Cal, Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment Program, or California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or the customer declares that the household’s annual income is less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
9. Reporting Requirements. Pursuant to §116918 of the Health & Safety Code, the District shall annually report the number of discontinuations for residential service for inability to pay on the District’s Website and to the State Water Resources Control Board.
10. Discontinuing Water Service for Other Customer Violations. Nothing in this policy restricts, limits, or otherwise impairs the District’s ability to terminate service to a customer for reasons other than those explicitly stated in this Policy including but not limited to unauthorized actions of the customer.
11. Availability of Policy and Other Resources. This Policy is available at www.northstarcsd.org and is translated to non-English languages as required by Health & Safety Code §116906. Those languages are Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. The District Water Ordinance 21-05 is also available on the District Website.
Spanish - Interrupción del servicio de agua residencial por falta de pago
Chinese - 因未繳費而停止住宅供水服務
Korean - 미납으로 인한 주거용 수도 서비스 중단
Tagalog - Paghinto ng Serbisyo sa Tubig sa Bahay para sa Hindi Pagbabayad
Vietnamese - Ngừng cung cấp dịch vụ nước sinh hoạt do không thanh toán
