The Knoxville Utility Board recently announced that it will resume service disconnections in October.
Disconnections for non-payment was suspended back in March by KUB. This was to help customers dealing with financial difficulty during COVID-19 have access to utility services regardless of their ability to pay.
Service disconnections for non-payment will resume Monday, October 19.
.@KnoxKUB will resume disconnecting service for unpaid bills on Oct. 19. Stephanie Midgett from KUB shares with @wvlt resources to help those who have accrued balances during the pandemic. For information on bill payment assistance, visit https://t.co/I18zp1yJzK. pic.twitter.com/taDlg6v8EA
— Moxley Carmichael (@moxcar) September 21, 2020
“But even as we resume our normal billing operations, disconnecting our customers is the last thing we want to do,” said Gabriel Bolas, KUB President and CEO. “We want to make it as easy as possible for customers to stay in service, so we’re making some changes to help them.”
“People in our community may be experiencing difficulties paying bills for the very first time due to the effects of the pandemic and they may be unaware of all the agencies that can help them,” said Barbara Kelly, CAC Executive Director. “We encourage those in need to reach out so that we can guide them through the process and work together to get their needs met.”
KUB has also announced more than $4 million dollars in financial assistance is available through community agencies to help those who are unable to pay their utility bills.
Local agencies like Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee (CAC), Project Help, and others will be distributing available funds.
It never hurts to ask for help.
KUB and our community partners are #HeretoHelp our customers in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please don’t wait to seek assistance if you will need help paying a bill. Visit https://t.co/smuOVUPDvv to learn about available assistance resources. pic.twitter.com/bEe2Dau1Bu
— Knoxville Utilities Board (@KnoxKUB) September 3, 2020
Photo| iStock
