City, County Handle Past-Due Water Bills Differently: Report

SARASOTA COUNTY, FL — If you’re behind on your water utility bills in the Sarasota area, your experience varies greatly depending on where you live, the Herald-Tribune reported.

The city of Sarasota, under its health emergency declaration, has resumed its moratorium on water shutoffs for those with past-due bills, reports said. Payments are deferred until Jan. 15. The city commission will determine if the moratorium is extended past this date.

Sarasota County, however, resumed its normal shutoff procedures for customers delinquent on their bills on Oct. 1, the Herald-Tribune reported. This came after months of deferring payments for those living in unincorporated Sarasota County.

The county typically gives customers an eight-week grace period, which ends for about 316 county residents this week, reports said. The county shut off water for 177 accounts as of Wednesday, the Herald-Tribune said. Another 53 were scheduled to have their water turned off Thursday.