After five years, DeKalb County is ending its ban on residential water disconnections.
Officials say the majority of issues that led to the moratorium — and outrageously high, laughably erroneous bills for thousands of customers — have been resolved. So come Sept. 1, residents who still have past due bills could lose water service.
There are, however, several ways they can prevent that from happening.
If payments are made or any of the following arrangements are requested by Tuesday, Aug. 31, water service will not be disconnected.
Option 1: Residents who are able can pay their past due balance in full by Aug. 31. Officials said customers who choose this option can request a credit for up to one year of late fees by emailing dekalbwaterbillingfn@dekalbcountyga.gov.
Option 2: Residents can request to enter an installment payment agreement by visiting www.dekalbcountyga.gov/installment, calling customer service at 404-378-4475 or returning the form that was previously mailed to customers.
Installment plans can last up to 84 months, with minimum payments of $25 per month (plus payment of new bills).
Option 3: Residents can request a COVID-19 hardship installment plan if they’re unable to pay due to a pandemic-related issue. That application is available at www.dekalbcountyga.gov/hardship.
Option 4: Residents can also initiate a formal dispute, something the county encourages for anyone who has “unresolved water billing concerns.”
A dispute can be initiate by calling 404-378-4475 or emailing dekalbwaterbillingfn@dekalbcountyga.gov.
For more information on water billing in DeKalb County, visit www.dekalbcountyga.gov/watershed-management/water-disconnection-moratorium.
A county presentation on efforts to address long-standing water billing issues is included below.
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