Water rate assistance program.

Assembly Member Ransom's water assistance legislation establishes a new California Low Income Household Water Assistance Program while granting urban retail water suppliers explicit authority to create local assistance programs. The Department of Community Services and Development would administer the state program, providing rate assistance to residential customers of small water systems with under 3,000 connections and those serving disadvantaged communities.

The bill authorizes urban retail water suppliers to implement customized rate assistance programs for their communities. These programs may offer various forms of aid, including fee reductions, percentage discounts, account credits, and assistance with past-due balances. Suppliers can extend eligibility to households earning up to 200% of federal poverty guidelines, customers with payment arrears, and other ratepayers based on local needs. While suppliers may use available funding sources, they cannot utilize fees or charges levied under Article XIII D of the California Constitution. The legislation permits suppliers to seek voluntary contributions from ratepayers to support these programs.

Beginning in 2028, participating water suppliers must submit annual reports detailing their assistance programs to the State Water Resources Control Board. Required information includes total funding allocated, number of households served, progress toward implementation, and any barriers encountered. This reporting aims to track the expansion of rate assistance programs across California while allowing programs to remain tailored to specific community circumstances and resources.