PHOENIX — For more than six years, Phoenix kept the taps running for residents who fell behind on their water bills. That grace period is about to end.
Phoenix Water Services will resume disconnecting service to residential customers with seriously delinquent City Services accounts beginning in November, the city announced Monday, as reported by KTAR News and AZFamily. The city stopped shutoffs in March 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and never restarted them.
How big the problem got
According to current city data, more than 9,000 accounts are seriously delinquent, and together they owe nearly $24 million in past-due City Services balances. A city review of peer utilities found Phoenix is the only Arizona city whose water utility does not use disconnection for significantly overdue residential accounts, KTAR reported.
Water Services Director Brandy Kelso said the balances cannot keep growing without consequences for everyone else. “As you can imagine, 24 million is a lot of money and if we continue to let that grow over time, it absolutely would impact our rates,” Kelso told AZFamily, adding that the city is trying to be fiscally responsible so it does not affect rates over the long term.
Who gets hit first
The city plans a phased approach that weighs both how much a customer owes and how long the account has been behind. Initially, Phoenix will focus on accounts that owe more than $1,000 rather than customers with smaller balances, Kelso told AZFamily. After that, she said, other accounts will be reviewed case by case.
Customers will get advance notice and a chance to pay before any disconnection, according to the city’s announcement.
Not just about the money
Asked whether the decision is tied to how precious water has become in Arizona, Kelso answered “Yes and no,” telling AZFamily that everyone should use water wisely regardless of where they live. She also said she believes people are less likely to conserve when they are not paying for what they use.
In a city news release quoted by KTAR, Kelso said Phoenix “has provided customers with extraordinary protections for more than six years” and that the utility also has a responsibility to customers who pay their bills on time.
What behind-on-their-bill customers can do
- Call early. The city is urging customers who are behind to reach out before a final disconnection notice arrives. Customer service is available at 602-262-6251, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or online.
- Ask about a payment plan. Eligible customers can set up a structured arrangement that requires an initial payment and spreads the remaining balance over time. Customers must stick to the plan to keep service.
- Check Project Assist. The city’s Project Assist program helps income-qualified households pay their bills.
The change arrives as many Valley households are already squeezed by high living costs, and as Arizona braces for deeper Colorado River shortages. For Phoenix, though, officials say the message is simple: the pandemic-era pause is over, and disconnection will be the last step, not the first.
Photo: Pixelmaniac pictures via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 public domain dedication). Generic file image of water running from a faucet; not taken in Phoenix.
This article was produced with AI assistance and is based on reporting from KTAR News and AZFamily.