How to implement SB998 with confidence by Feb2020

SB998 requires the Water Agencies throughout California to be in compliance by February 2020. To ensure compliance, the Agencies will have to make several changes in existing work processes and schedule as it relates to water shut-off procedures, accounting systems, and develop a communications program, including development of elaborately written policies, procedures, and ordinances. PROTEUS Consulting is actively helping water agencies with this process, as time is running out. To be at "go live" within a year, i.e. February 2020, the water agencies need to have a plan in place by this budget cycle, i.e. before May 2019, which includes a thorough plan on expenditures and impact on revenue.

Policies and Procedure Revisions: In most agencies there is either no current written Policy or Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Water Shut-off, or the existing process has a skeletal framework. The entire process is typically worked on within various departments, including Operations (metering), Finance, City/Agency Attorney, Engineering, etc. PROTEUS Consulting is working with all these departments and charting out an As-Is and To-Be Process, and then developing relevant written standard operating procedures (SOPs), required Water Policies, and updating existing ordinances. There is a lot of coordination involved in various inter-departmental level within organizations. Key consideration in this task is also working with the attorneys to make sure the limitations set forth in Prop 218 do not clash with the SB998 processes being developed. All this has to be in place by August so that it can go through relevant Board/ Council approvals for implementation by the end of 2019.

Communications/ Outreach Assistance: PROTEUS Consulting is then assisting the Water Agencies' Communications/Outreach personnel to draft informational items to be in compliance with both SB998 and Prop 218. These items include: web pages, call out scripts, bill reminder, card/door hanger, shut-off cards, etc. All this has to be in place by August so that it can go through relevant Board/ Council approvals for implementation by the end of 2019.

Implementation Assistance: After the To-Be Process map is finalized, PROTEUS Consulting is working with individuals within each Agency department to ensure smooth implementation of the developed procedures. For example, we are working with individuals in the Finance departments to ensure the call-out scripts for the shut-off are adequate per SB998, and documentation of the process is in compliance. Furthermore, we are also helping the Finance departments to work with the billing software companies, to ensure that the implementation is smooth, such as incorporation of amortization in the bills, limits on how people demonstrate hardship, etc. PROTEUS Consulting is working with Engineering (e.g. regarding impact fees, master fee schedule as determined by agency cost-of-service-study, etc.), Operations (process plan for shut-off, including during business hours and during non-business hours, etc.), Asset Management (ensure implementation is noted in the Asset Management Plan), Attorney’s office (to make sure all limitations and restrictions are adequately addressed), and other departments, as needed, to ensure compliance. Very limited time is available between September 2019 to January 2020 to make sure there is compliance. We are so happy that we can be of service to our clients in this very important task.