Our response to COVID-19
We are in this for the long-run
In an age of social distancing, many of us are scrambling to respond to our new normal. As a community-owned, not-for-profit water and power utility, we’ve always been driven to help our community and meet whatever challenges come our way.
Nothing is more important than the health and safety of our customers, employees, and all those we serve. As an organization, we’re closely monitoring developments related to the Covid-19 outbreak and its impact across our service area. In this ever-changing environment, one thing remains constant and that’s our commitment to keeping the lights on, the water flowing, and caring for our community.
We also know this has affected many of our neighbors economically making it tough to make ends meet. We want to support you. Please call us at 888-774-8272. The best time to call is between 7:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
The Vera Water and Power office is currently closed.
Temporary pause on late fees and service disconnections
While energy, telephone, and water utilities are currently banned from disconnecting utility services through April 30, 2020, customers are still responsible for their unpaid balances. Once the ban ends, you will have to pay any amount that you owe or you could face disconnection or additional charges.
If you will not be able to pay, please contact us to make arrangements. We are happy to work with you.
Vera has a customer support program in place
To ease the transition, we are offering a customer support program for those customers economically affected by Covid-19, and who have overdue balances on their utility accounts as of the end of the Governor’s proclamation.
The key to this plan is the ability to execute an agreement to repay any balance on your account over time.
There are also several ratepayer-assistance programs available at the local, state, or federal level. This information is being shared state-wide on the UTC website. A shortlist of community agencies can be found here.
Set an appointment now: To arrange a repayment agreement for unpaid account balances, set an appointment to meet with our support team by emailing arrangements@verawaterandpower.com or by calling 888-774-8272.
Every agreement will be catered to the needs of each individual customer. A list of the necessary information to craft this agreement will be available or can be obtained by calling our office.
- Online: We encourage you to access your account online to make payments.
- Dropbox: Our payment dropbox is located in our parking lot at 601 N. Evergreen Road.
- Phone: Feel free to call us at (888)774-8272 or (509) 924-3800. Our staff is practicing social distancing. Vera representatives are available to speak with you on the phone, Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Our call center is available 24/7 to help you with your bill and to take your service calls.
- Email: You can email us at info@verawaterandpower.com
In response to the Governor’s request to suspend late fees and disconnects: In compliance with Gov. Inslee’s order we have implemented the following: As part of Governor Inslee’s Stay Home, Stay Safe order, our June 10, 2020 Board of Directors Meetings will be held online. We will post the meeting link, the dial-in numbers, and access codes on our website and social media. We encourage you to participate. Typically, we must respond to any public records request within five days. However, Gov. Jay Inslee’s emergency COVID-19 proclamation waives this requirement. Therefore, during this pandemic, when we receive a public information request, we will attempt to respond within five days. However, since we are obeying the Governor’s order to stay home and stay safe, no one is physically at the Vera Water and Power office to search for written records. Those responses will be delayed until the emergency order has expired. Emergencies and unprecedented events offer opportunities for scammers to launch fraudulent campaigns that feed off the climate of concern. Specifically, scammers are taking advantage of the COVID-19 outbreak to send fraudulent emails, texts, etc. Beware of scams asking for personal information or immediate payment, and NEVER click on a suspicious link or attachment. Monday, March 23, 2020, Gov. Jay Inslee held a live address from his office to announce a “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order requiring every Washingtonian to stay home unless they are engaged in an essential activity. The order bans all gatherings for social, spiritual and recreational purposes and orders all businesses to close unless they are designation an essential business. You can read the governor’s announcement here. Employees of Vera Water and Power are considered essential employees and have permission to travel for work-related activities. This allows us to continue to keep the lights on and water flowing. Social distancing is likely a term you never heard until the recent coronavirus outbreak. So, what is social distancing and why should you practice it? Social distancing is a fancy term for avoiding close contact with other people during a disease outbreak in order to avoid potentially transmitting the infection. The purpose of social distancing is to slow the spread of the virus to reduce its impact on society and the healthcare system. How do you practice social distancing? Basically it means avoiding large gatherings and maintaining at least six feet of distance from other people. Here are some simple ways to do that by changing your daily routine: People of all ages can be infected by the coronavirus. Older people and those with pre-existing medical conditions — such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease — may be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill. These people should stay at home and avoid contact with others. Stay at home if you are feeling ill or are experiencing coronavirus symptoms. Contact your doctor for advice. See the Centers for Disease Control coronavirus website for information about the infection and tips on how you can protect yourself and your family. We’re not sure what life will look like in the next month, two months, or even a year down the road, but we do know our community. We are resilient. We will adapt. We will get through this.
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