California state law allows EBMUD to keep the water on for multi-family residential buildings and single-family residential premises where the owner is the account holder through Liens and Property Tax Bills to collect delinquent charges.
Please refer to the information below for details about the Program for Delinquent Charge Collection through Liens and Property Tax Bills for Multi-Family and Single-Family Residential accounts, including water and wastewater charges, sewer charges, utility charges, and fees for lien filing, lien removal and property tax bill collection transfers with and without liens recorded.
The EBMUD Board of Directors enacted the Alternative to Shutoff Policy on December 8, 2020. The new policy allows EBMUD to place liens on residential property for delinquent charges as an alternative to terminating service for single-family residences where the owner is the account holder. Unpaid lien amounts will roll over to the appropriate property tax bill.
This letter is part of EBMUD's notification to property owners, customers, and residents in the EBMUD service area about the Alternative to Shutoff Policy for all single-family residential customers adopted by EBMUD’s Board of Directors on December 8, 2020. Under the new policy, the District may collect delinquent charges through liens and property tax bills for single-family residential accounts where the owner is the account holder. This will be in addition to Senate Bill 1035 - Delinquent Charge Collection Through Liens and Property Tax Bills for Multi-Family Accounts.
The Alternative to Shutoff Policy will initiate on July 1, 2024, for all charges that are delinquent for 93 days or more.
- Liens may be placed on Any single-family residential property where the property owner is the account holder.
- The service is provided to a master metered multi-family property with two or more units.
- The unpaid charges become delinquent for 93 days or more and the delinquent charges equal $100 or more.
- The property owner has been sent all notices required by law and/or by this program.
- The District has conducted a hearing at which the property owner did not present objections to the filing of a lien on his/her property.
The new Alternative to Shutoff policy does not affect the Multi-Family Lien Program. The EBMUD Board of Directors passed a resolution that adopted the Multi-Family Lien Program under the authority of Senate Bill 1035 (Hancock) effective January 1, 2011. This law gives EBMUD authority to place liens on residential property for delinquent charges as an alternative to terminating services in multi-family residences. Unpaid lien amounts will roll over to the appropriate property tax bill.
The associated charges are included in the Schedule C - Charges for Special Services under our Rate and Fees Schedule.
The EBMUD Customer and Community Services Department calculates delinquent dollar amounts for liens, files liens with the appropriate county, tracks payments, releases liens when paid, and rolls unpaid delinquent charges over to the County Auditor/Tax Collector for inclusion on the appropriate property tax bills.
If you have any questions about the program or want assistance with a property currently in the collection process, please call: 866-403-2683 or by email to: lien.program@ebmud.com.