In a 4-1 vote, the Padre Dam Municipal Water District’s Board of Directors voted to resume billing late fees on utility bills for unpaid past due balances beginning Aug. 1. The District will also resume water service shutoffs for non-payment beginning Oct. 1, as the District returns to pre-pandemic policies.
Padre Dam provides water, wastewater, recycled water and park and recreation services to over 100,000 residents in the East San Diego County communities of Santee, El Cajon, Lakeside, Flinn Springs, Harbison Canyon, Blossom Valley, Alpine, Dehesa and Crest.
In March 2020, Padre Dam temporarily suspended late fees and water shutoffs for non-payment in an effort to support customers facing financial challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Currently there are approximately 400 Padre Dam accounts with bills that are 60 days or more past due. Over half of the $528,000 outstanding debt is from 20 accounts -the average past due amount of the remaining accounts is $630. During normal years, the District typically experiences an average of less than three percent debt from late unpaid bills, or approximately $119,000.
Customers experiencing challenges paying their water and/or wastewater bill are encouraged to contact Customer Service at 619-258-4600 during business hours. The District’s Customer Service team will work with customers to reduce delinquent amounts to avoid shut-off. Padre Dam’s Customer Service Center will be reopening to the public beginning on Monday, July 19 during normal business hours for customers needing to make a payment in person or speak to a customer service representative.
