Mayor Karen Bass asked the LADWP Board to pause residential water and power shutoffs through the end of the year for customers whose bills rose after recent heat waves, the Office of Mayor Bass said in a statement posted on the LADWP news site on Oct. 20, 2026.

The mayor said running air conditioners has been necessary during months of record heat and that for seniors and people with health conditions air conditioning is essential; she also linked higher utility bills to inflation and higher gasoline and grocery prices.

The statement included a pledge in plain language from the mayor: “No LADWP customer who is unable to pay their residential bill will have their electricity or water turned off for the remainder of this year.”

The mayor said LADWP will begin providing every residential customer with information about their electricity and water usage starting next month to help customers understand and conserve; the statement added that LADWP conservation programs can help reduce usage and lower bills.

Bass urged customers to enroll in the Level Pay program, which the statement said averages bills over 12 months so costs are predictable. She also told low-income seniors and households to consider the Lifeline or EZ-Save programs.

This account is based on a mayoral statement distributed by the Office of Mayor Bass and republished on the LADWP news page; it reflects actions the mayor has requested and program information the statement said LADWP will provide.

Sources & methodology

This report was written from the primary materials below. Links open at the original publisher.

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power

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