COVID-19 Update for Customers
As we enter month four of the COVID-19 crisis, we want to share a few important updates with you, our customer-owners.
Safety measures
In response to the risks posed by the coronavirus pandemic, we incorporated new measures to protect the health and safety of our employees and the public:
- EWEB offices and lobby remain closed to the public
- Employees are required to practice social distancing in the workplace (office or field) and wear masks in common areas and when working in close proximity
- Trucks, equipment, and workspaces are disinfected at least once per day
- Employees are working from home or on staggered shifts, with a gradual and responsible return of the workforce to facilities
Keeping the lights on and the water flowing
EWEB has remained open throughout the pandemic under modified conditions. Our staff have continued to perform vital work such as responding to emergency outages, operating the 24x7 water filtration plant, and supporting an unprecedented volume of billing and payment assistance requests.
Supporting our community in crisis
In the last few months, we've assisted more than 4,000 customers with bill credits through our Customer Care program. Thousands more have enrolled in flexible payment arrangements or deferred loan payments.
Taking steps toward economic recovery
Financial recovery will be a slow process and a community-wide effort. As an essential service provider, we know that electricity and water are foundational to all other areas of the economy, healthcare, and public safety. We also recognize that this is a challenging time for many local residents and businesses, and some may be struggling to keep up with utility payments.
As your community-owned utility, we will take the necessary steps to emerge from this crisis with the dual goal of protecting vulnerable customers while keeping the utility financially and operationally resilient. This means closely monitoring the temporary moratorium on service disconnections, and taking steps to help residential and business customers maintain or re-establish good account standing. We are actively working on programs to do just that, and look forward to sharing those in the very near future.
Together we are powerful
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed almost everything for our community, except the need for reliable power and water at affordable rates. Looking ahead, every decision we make will continue to reflect our core values as your community-owned utility:
- Safety of our workforce and the public
- Reliability of drinking water and electricity
- Responsibility for financial and natural resources
- Community support and service
A way to help others
EWEB makes funds available to help customers who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic and others with limited incomes. But the need is much greater than we are able to meet. If you have been thinking about ways you can help our community during the COVID-19 pandemic, a donation to Energy Share will help keep the lights on for families in need. Make a one-time donation or pledge a recurring amount at eweb.org/energyshare.
