California Water Service Group and Subsidiaries Suspend Shutoffs for Customers Unable to Make Payments Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Utility Also Closing Customer Center Lobbies, Taking Additional Steps to Keep Employees, Community Safe

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 12, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In an effort to keep its customers safe during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, California Water Service Group (Group) (NYSE: CWT) and its subsidiaries in California, Hawaii, New Mexico, and Washington have temporarily suspended water service shutoffs for customers unable to make utility bill payments until further notice. This decision was approved at Group’s internal task force meeting regarding COVID-19 today.

Group is closely monitoring developments regarding COVID-19 and taking a number of additional, precautionary steps to help keep its employees and communities safe during this time. Among the actions taken by the utility are:

• Closing Customer Center lobbies to the public to minimize personal contact; representatives remain available to support customers via phone, email, and online, and for service calls
• Increasing daily and deep-cleaning and disinfecting of facilities
• Suspending business air travel and employee participation at conferences, and limiting meeting sizes
• Providing hand sanitizers and disinfecting wipes in all common areas and field trucks
• Frequently communicating with employees on developments, company updates, social distancing measures, and personal hygiene best practices, and reminding them to stay home if sick
• Retaining an infectious disease doctor to ensure the company takes all appropriate steps to support a healthy workforce and community

The utility has also published a statement to confirm the safety of tap water, as the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have said that the safeguards utilities already take to protect water quality are also effective to keep it safe from viruses, including COVID-19.

“Protecting the health and safety of our customers and employees is our highest priority, and not only are we maintaining a robust water quality assurance program, we are also continuing to do everything we can to further maintain a healthy workforce and community with regard to the coronavirus,” said Martin A. Kropelnicki, Group President and CEO. “This includes today’s formal steps of temporarily suspending shutoffs for nonpayment, so customers have the water they need to maintain good personal hygiene, and closing our Customer Centers to the public.”