(Legal Settlement Unanimous)...The settlement with the State relates to the City's previous policies and practices affecting water service customers.

The resolution concludes an investigation by the State Water Resources Control Board and California Attorney General relating to the City's compliance with the water shutoff protection act and the water and wastewater system payments under the american rescue plan act of 2021. The water shutoff act took effect in early 2020 and requires water systems to follow certain procedures to protect residential water customers from shutoffs for nonpayment, and to have a written policy containing those procedures available to the public The settlement makes good customers who were shutoff for nonpayment or otherwise harmed during the COVID 19 Pandemic that occurred in 2020, 2021 and 2022. City Manager Esperanza Colio Warren expressed satisfaction with the settlement, saying they were pleased a resolution was reached that avoids costly litigation and allows the city to move forward.