Niagara Falls Water Board Officially Restarts Service Shutoffs to Recover $3.5 million Unpaid Bills

Niagara Falls property owners behind on their water bills may soon face service cutoffs as the Niagara Falls Water Board prepares to resume shutoffs to address mounting unpaid balances.

During a March meeting, Water Board Executive Director and General Counsel Sean Costello informed board members that the plan to reinstate service terminations is set to begin in the second quarter of 2024, starting April 1st. This move comes as a statewide moratorium on water shutoffs, originally implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, is set to expire.

Since the moratorium began in 2019, delinquent accounts have surged from $1.2 million to $3.5 million, placing a financial strain on the Water Board. With the restrictions lifted, officials have determined that resuming shutoffs is a necessary step to recover outstanding debts.

Water bills are issued quarterly. The most recent batch was sent out on March 1st. Customers with unpaid balances will receive past-due notices by mid-April. If payments are still not received, door hanger notices will be placed at the property giving owners 48 hours to pay before service is disconnected.

Board members raised no objections to the plan, signaling their support for the effort to recover the $3.5 million in overdue payments.

Niagara Falls Water Board Officially Restarts Service Shutoffs to Recover $3.5 million Unpaid Bills