Edwards

Edwards

WADESBORO — In the midst of a global pandemic, one Wadesboro resident lived with her water shutoff for the weekend after missing a payment and then trying unsuccessfully to pay the Town of Wadesboro with a voucher.

When the pandemic forced communities to go into lockdown, this Wadesboro resident, a nurse who will be referred to as “Maria” to protect her identity, lost her job and couldn’t keep up with her bills. Maria signed an agreement with the town’s water department in order to get her bill paid. In this arrangement, customers must pay that month’s bill plus one-sixth of what he or she owes from March through July; the months in which a government executive order was put in place.

To off-set the burden of bills during the pandemic, Governor Roy Cooper signed Executive Order No. 124 in March. This prohibited utility shut-offs, late fees and reconnection fees. The order also laid out guidance for restrictions on evictions and encouraged providers, banks and services to provide assistance or flexibility to customers. The Wadesboro Town Council had already approved suspending utility shut-offs before the governor’s order, according to Town Manager David Edwards, but the forgiveness period ended in July, along with the state’s executive order, leading to Maria’s water getting shut off.

Wadesboro water bills are due on the 15th of the month and are considered late if not paid by the 20th. A customer’s water is subject to be shut off by the 25th of the month if there is still no payment received. Once a payment is late, the agreement gets terminated and a customer must pay the full bill.

Complicating this situation for Maria, her mother went into surgery and then again into emergency surgery on the week the late payment was due, causing the to slip her mind and her water to be shut off.

Edwards detailed how the water department reaches out to customers to make them aware of upcoming payments. For every customer who is past due, the department sends a letter outlining payment options. The department also calls customers and posts updates on their Facebook. According to Edwards, the department called over 100 customers in the month of August, to make sure customers are aware of their late payment.

There is a statement on the bill that Maria provided, notifying customers her that cut-off would resume that month, meaning in August.

With her water cut off, Maria reached out to the Union Crisis Assistance Ministry. The ministry typically comes in to help before utility shut offs or evictions in order to prevent homelessness, which is the group’s main objective, according to Gloria Barrino, executive director of Union Crisis Assistance Ministry.

“In order to provide financial assistance, they have to have income or promise of income,” Barrino said. “Maybe they are beginning a new job. We just need documentation of that. We ask clients to bring in everything. We complete a full assessment and see what their need is.”

Which is what Maria did. At the time of the incident, Maria was out of her traveling nursing job, but was set to begin a new contract in October. This allowed her to be approved for assistance from the crisis center.

Once approved, the ministry provides a guarantee letter to companies or landlords, outlining a promise of payment, the amount they are paying and when to expect the funds.

Since March of this year, the Union Crisis Assistance Ministry helped eight Anson County residents in a short-term emergency. But now funds have been exhausted, according to Barrino.

“The majority of people come because of a health crisis and missed time off,” Barrino said. “Of course now because of COVID there are job layoffs and business close. They just need the temporary help.”

In the past, the town has received funds from the Union Crisis Assistance Ministry. Edwards said several clients used this ministry in the month of August. But in this specific case, the person did not come to the water department until after her water was shutoff and at that point, Edwards said it is too late. If he makes an exception for one person, he would have to do it for everyone.

“Typically for them to cut a check, send it and us to receive it, it is about a week,” Edwards said. “In the past it has taken up to a month to get the payment from the ministry.”

The water department already pays for water before customers receive their bill. Edwards explained that it is critical for residents to pay in a timely manner and for assisting funds to clear by the end of the month so the department can close out their books correctly.

In order for other residents to avoid this situation, Edwards advises people to start reaching out to centers, like the ministry, by the middle of the month. That way payments can be received before the shut-off date.

“This is incredibly unfortunate to happen,” Edwards said. “But I have no legal authority to waive fees. Fees and cut-off ordinances are required by law. I am more than willing to work with people and avoid cut-offs.”

Maria said she is aware her payment was late and because of that, the payment plan is voided. She said this situation “humbled” her and that she is looking for ways to improve her financial situation. Maria wants others to be aware of this and encourage them to make payments on time that way no one will have to go without water during a pandemic.

Barrino wants to build a better relationship with the town to avoid a similar situation in the future, which Edwards said he is happy to work towards.

Reach Liz O’Connell at 267-467-5613 or at eoconnell@ansonrecord.com.