Ephrata council reaffirms utility relief

EPHRATA — The Ephrata City Council voted Thursday to reaffirm extending water, sewer and garbage payment relief to residents affected by the closures related to COVID-19.

Relief measures include a temporary suspension of fees on late city utility payments to qualified homes and businesses as well as a suspension on the termination of services for non-payment for residences and small businesses.

“We are forgoing late charges on utility billing until we are able to get back to normal,” said City Administrator Mike Warren. “We will allow citizens two months for every one that they are late. So if they are four months late, they will have eight months to catch up on their billing.”

The city council originally passed the measure in mid-March, and it is set to expire on Sept. 19, 2020. However, the council addressed the measure on Thursday given that a March executive order from Gov. Jay Inslee mandating relief for municipal utility customers is scheduled to expire before the end of July.

“Nobody expected this to last so long,” said Mayor Bruce Reim.

“We need to do something to help the community get through this,” said Council Member Valli Millard.

As part of the suspension, customers having trouble paying their sewer and water bills need to make payment arrangements with the city.

Of the city’s roughly 4,000 water, sewer and garbage customers, 96 are “over 30 days past due,” according to City Clerk Leslie Trachsler. Twenty-seven of those are delinquent “likely due to COVID-19,” according to Trachsler, with another 30 delinquent accounts past due because of “possible COVID,” for a total of $20,078 in delinquent revenue due to the pandemic.

If you are an Ephrata resident and having trouble paying your bills, the Washington Department of Health and Social Services’ Disaster Cash Assistance Program (DCAP) can help. For more information or to apply, call 877-501-2233.

In addition, the Salvation Army at 509-766-5875 has some money to help with bills, as does the Ephrata Foursquare Church’s Helping Hands program, which can be reached at 509-754-5205.

Charles H. Featherstone can be reached at [email protected].