The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) on Friday directed water, electric, and natural gas utilities to cease disconnecting residential service for nonpayment until the state public health emergency has been lifted.
Additionally, utilities must make reasonable attempts to reconnect service to an occupied dwelling that has been disconnected.
This comes after Governor Tony Evers declared a public health emergency to enhance the state’s response to COVID-19.
Wisconsin is currently under a winter moratorium on disconnections of water, electric, and natural gas service when used for home heating. The moratorium runs until April 15 and would typically allow for disconnections for nonpayment to resume. That moratorium would be extended for all service until the public health emergency is lifted.
As water service is not commonly part of a home’s heating system, utilities can disconnect customers’ water service at any time of year if that customer has electric or gas heat.