San Jose Water has received a total of $15.3 million in two
rounds of customer relief funding from the state of California,
funded by the American Rescue Plan Act.
San Jose Water (“SJW” or “the Company”), a wholly-owned
subsidiary of SJW Group (NYSE: SJW), announced today that it has
received funds from the California Water and Wastewater Arrearage
Payment Program, which is administered by the State Water Resources
Control Board. Funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (“ARPA”), the
funds are intended to help support customers who experienced
financial hardship due to COVID and were unable to pay their water
bills between June 15, 2021, and December 31, 2022.
On May 13, San Jose Water received $9.1 million in arrearage
relief for customers within its service area. This was the second
of two payments aimed at helping customers over the past 2 years.
The first was in the amount of $6.2 million. Over the next few
weeks, the company will automatically credit customer accounts with
qualifying balances. Customers who receive arrearage relief will be
notified by mail and see the credit reflected on their bills.
“Although we are more than four years out from the start of the
pandemic, we know that COVID led to a very difficult time for many
of our customers — both financially and personally — which they are
still dealing with today. We are pleased to be able to help those
in need,” said Tanya Moniz-Witten, President of San Jose Water. “We
greatly appreciate the combined efforts of the California
Legislature and the State Water Resources Control Board to help
alleviate this financial burden for our customers. Our goal remains
to support our customers through any and every available
channel.”
In addition to the ARPA funding, SJW’s customers have also
benefited from the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program
(“LIHWAP”). SJW worked through Sacred Heart Community Services, the
local service provider, to promote the program and encouraged
income-qualified customers to apply for funding. More than 1,300
customers have received funding through LIHWAP totaling almost
$1.3M to date.
For customers with past due balances, San Jose Water now offers
convenient payment plans through PromisePay. Income-eligible
customers can enroll in SJW’s Customer Assistance Program to
receive a 15% discount on their water bills. The company also
offers a comprehensive water conservation program, including
complimentary water check-ups, low-flow devices, and educational
materials, aimed at helping customers use water more efficiently
which in turn can lower their bills.
About San Jose Water
Founded in 1866, San Jose Water is an investor-owned public
utility, and is one of the largest and most technically
sophisticated urban water systems in the United States. The company
serves over one million people in the greater San Jose metropolitan
area. San Jose Water is owned by SJW Group, a publicly traded
company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SJW.
SJW Group also owns: Connecticut Water Company in Connecticut;
Maine Water Company in Maine; and Texas Water Company in Texas. To
learn more about San Jose Water, visit: sjwater.com.
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Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as
amended. Some of these forward-looking statements can be identified
by the use of forward-looking words such as “believes,” “expects,”
“estimates,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “seeks,” “plans,”
“projects,” “may,” “should,” “will,” or the negative of those words
or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements
are only predictions and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and
assumptions that are difficult to predict.
These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks,
uncertainties and assumptions including, but not limited to, the
following factors: (1) the effect of water, utility, environmental
and other governmental policies and regulations, including
regulatory actions concerning rates, authorized return on equity,
authorized capital structures, capital expenditures, PFAS and other
decisions; (2) changes in demand for water and other services; (3)
unanticipated weather conditions and changes in seasonality
including those affecting water supply and customer usage; (4) the
effect of the impact of climate change; (5) unexpected costs,
charges or expenses; (6) our ability to successfully evaluate
investments in new business and growth initiatives; (7)
contamination of our water supplies and damage or failure of our
water equipment and infrastructure; (8) the risk of work stoppages,
strikes and other labor-related actions; (9) catastrophic events
such as fires, earthquakes, explosions, floods, ice storms,
tornadoes, hurricanes, terrorist acts, physical attacks,
cyber-attacks, epidemic, or similar occurrences; (10) changes in
general economic, political, business and financial market
conditions; (11) the ability to obtain financing on favorable
terms, which can be affected by various factors, including credit
ratings, changes in interest rates, compliance with regulatory
requirements, compliance with the terms and conditions of our
outstanding indebtedness, and general market and economic
conditions; and (12) legislative, and general market and economic
developments. The risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause
the actual results, performance or achievements of SJW Group to be
materially different from any future results, performance or
achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements.
Results for a quarter are not indicative of results for a full
year due to seasonality and other factors. Other factors that may
cause actual results, performance or achievements to materially
differ are described in SJW Group’s most recent Annual Report on
Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on
Form 8-K filed with the SEC. Forward-looking statements are not
guarantees of performance, and speak only as of the date made. SJW
Group undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information,
future events, or otherwise.
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Liann Walborsky Director of Corporate Communications 408
918-7247
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