Notice and timing
How delinquency is handled
Grace period after the due date
Residential bills are payable by the due date printed on the Statement for Water Service. Under the Collection and Residential Water Service Termination Policy, an account becomes delinquent at the end of day 21 after bill issuance; the late fee is assessed when payment is not received by day 28 under the current collection timeline. No payment grace period after the printed due date is guaranteed, and mailed payments must be received and applied rather than merely postmarked.
Late-fee calculation
The current automated collection timeline assesses a $5 late fee on day 28 after bill issuance. A delinquent balance of $25 or less may be carried to the next billing period without late fee or further collection action. A later reminder notice, door tag, or shutoff can add the published $20 field charge for the relevant service visit; payment arrangements can avoid additional fees while the customer remains compliant. ACWD may waive or reverse a late fee for a satisfactory reason when the customer has not been assessed a late fee for nonpayment during the preceding 12 months.
Disconnection timeline
ACWD’s published 2024 collection timeline is: day 21 after bill issuance—account becomes delinquent; day 28—automated $5 late fee; day 67—final notice mailed; day 74—48-hour door tag with a $20 field fee; day 80—courtesy phone call; day 81—manual service discontinuation with a $20 field fee. The SB 998 policy independently requires that residential service not be discontinued until the account has been delinquent for at least 60 calendar days. Payment arrangements or an alternative schedule can interrupt the collection sequence while honored.