Acting quickly to assist city residents during the current health crisis, city officials suspended disconnection or termination of water service as they approved an ordinance Tuesday at a brief City Council meeting.
"With COVID-19, people are having to stay home with children, not being paid," Mayor Jackie Crabtree said, introducing the ordinance. "We don't want to shut off water just for non-payment of water bills.
"This is just something that is the right thing to do as far as we're concerned."
Crabtree told council members that other utility companies are adopting similar policies.
The council approved the emergency clause making the ordinance go into effect immediately.
The ordinance states: "Effective immediately, notwithstanding any other provision of the Pea Ridge Municipal Code, water service disconnection or termination for non-payment or delinquent payment may be suspended, on a case-by-case basis, upon the approval of the Pea Ridge Water Superintendent and Mayor. Penalties and late payment charges may be suspended and waived. The power to suspend disconnection and waive penalties, pursuant to this section, will remain in effect through July 30, 2020, and payment plans without penalties may extend for up to twelve (12) months from the start of the delinquency on the account."
General News on 03/25/2020