SACRAMENTO – On Tuesday, Sept. 21, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted guidelines that will determine how the agency will administer the $1 billion financial relief program for community water systems’ unpaid water bill debt from residential and commercial customers who were unable to pay their bills due to COVID-related financial hardship. The California Water and Wastewater Arrearages Payment Program will disburse funds between Nov. 1, and Jan. 31, 2022, prioritizing small drinking water systems first.Water systems must apply for the funding, which covers residential and commercial accounts that are 60 days or more behind on payments for debt accrued between March 4, 2020, and June 15, 2021. As a condition of receiving the funds, participating systems must cred
