The Mission Springs Water District will resume water disconnections due to unpaid bills in April, it was announced Wednesday.
The water district, which serves Desert Hot Springs and surrounding areas, had suspended disconnections for past-due accounts since the start of the coronavirus pandemic due to a state moratorium on shutoffs. Although the moratorium was lifted in December, the utility will give customers the remainder of March to sign up for payment plans or to pay off their accounts entirely, according to MSWD spokesperson Marion Champion.
“The last thing we want to do is discontinue anyone’s water service. Our goal is to help our customers through difficult times, and we ask that they contact us as soon as possible so that we can discuss options and get their accounts back on track,” board President Russ Martin said.
The payment plans are tailored per account and can be extended up to 12 months. The utility has also partnered with United Way of the Desert, Lift to Rise, Inland SoCal United Way and Riverside County to assist those who are struggling to make payments.
Those with past due accounts are urged to contact the utility before March 31 in order to set up a payment plan. To learn more about bill assistance programs, visit mswd.org/billassistance.