Where’s My Water Bill?

R1

Direct the Public Utilities Department to establish and maintain a public dashboard on the PUD website tracking call center key performance indicators.

R2

Direct the Public Utilities Department to generate an automatic acknowledgement of the receipt of an email and the expected response time.

R3

Direct the Public Utilities Department to create an appeal process for customers who want to dispute their water bill and identify this process on the PUD website.

R4

Direct the Public Utilities Department to create a more detailed customer communication system to use when a water bill verification requires more than 4-6 months. Office of the City Auditor. City of San Diego. Performance Audit of the Public Utilities Department’s Water Billing Operations. (July 2018). 6 2 Office of the City Auditor. City of San Diego. Performance Audit of the Public Utilities Department’s Customer Support Division Customer Service Office (Call Center). (June 2019). See Notes 1& 2. 4Sergio, Flores. “Has Your Water Bill Been Delayed, San Diego? Here's Why and What to Do About It” NCB 7 News, (April 15, 2023) 5 Mecija, Melissa. “San Diegans Receiving Multiple Late Water Bills, Sometimes Totaling 1,000+”. ABC10 – KGTV, (April 12, 2023) 6 Handy, Shannon and Hargrove, Darian. “San Diego Water Woes | City Auditor Urged Water Department to Notify Customers About Withheld Bills Back in 2018.” CBS 8 (August 22, 2023). Handy, Shannon and Hargrove, Darian. “Backlogged Water Bills: Tens of Thousands of San Diego Customers Still Waiting for Water Bills. CBS 8 (February 12, 2024). https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/working-for- you/san-diego-customers-waiting-water-bills/509-d6bc6244-0c87-493e-8c31-ad22124bc37f 8 Gotfredson, David. “More Water Bill Woes for San Diego Customers”. CBS 8. (March 20, 2024) 9 Seattle Public Utilities. “Disputing a Bill.” https://www.seattle.gov/utilities/your-services/accounts-and- payments/bills-and-payments/my-bill-seems-too-high/disputing-a-bill 10 Desert Water. “Dispute My Bill.” https://dwa.org/customer-service/rates-billing/dispute-my-bill/ 11 City of San Diego Public Utilities Department. Utility Billing, Account Management and Collection Policy Manual, . (December 10, 2014) REQUIREMENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS The California Penal Code §933(c) requires any public agency which the Grand Jury has reviewed, and about which it has issued a final report, to comment to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court on the findings and recommendations pertaining to matters under the control of the agency. Such comment shall be made no later than 90 days after the Grand Jury publishes its report (filed with the Clerk of the Court); except that in the case of a report containing findings and recommendations pertaining to a department or agency headed by an elected County official (e.g. District Attorney, Sheriff, etc.), such comment shall be made to the Presiding Judge with an information copy sent to the Board of Supervisors. Furthermore, California Penal Code §933.05(a), (b), (c), details, as follows, the way such comment(s) are to be made: (a) As to each grand jury finding, the responding person or entity shall indicate one of the following: (1) The respondent agrees with the finding (2) The respondent disagrees wholly or partially with the finding; in which case the response shall specify the portion of the finding that is disputed and shall include an explanation of the reasons therefor. (b) As to each grand jury recommendation, the responding person or entity shall report one of the following actions: (1) The recommendation has been implemented, with a summary regarding the implemented action. (2) The recommendation has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in the future, with a time frame for implementation. 7 (3) The recommendation requires further analysis, with an explanation and the scope and parameters of an analysis or study, and a time frame for the matter to be prepared for discussion by the officer or head of the agency or department being investigated or reviewed, including the governing body of the public agency when applicable. This time frame shall not exceed six months from the date of publication of the grand jury report. (4) The recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted or is not reasonable, with an explanation therefor. (c) If a finding or recommendation of the grand jury addresses budgetary or personnel matters of a county agency or department headed by an elected officer, both the agency or department head and the Board of Supervisors shall respond if requested by the grand jury, but the response of the Board of Supervisors shall address only those budgetary or personnel matters over which it has some decision-making authority. The response of the elected agency or department head shall address all aspects of the findings or recommendations affecting his or her agency or department. Comments to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court in compliance with the Penal Code 933.05 are required from the: Responding Agency Findings Recommendations San Diego Mayor F1, F2, F3, F4, F5 R1, R2, R3, R4 8