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EWEB's April Bill Assistance Was Exhausted In 1 Hour

NWCU.com

The pandemic has left thousands of Oregonians without work and many are scrambling to pay bills. The Eugene Water and Electric Board saw a surge in customers seeking help on the first of the month.

Normally reserved for low-income applicants, their $260 dollar bill credit was made available for customers who’ve lost jobs due to the pandemic. The aid can only be used once a year. More than 900 people applied for their Customer Care Bill assistance, said Marketing and Communications Specialist Jen Connors.

"At 9 o’clock customers were able to get online or call EWEB and apply for the bill credit. Within the first hour we had fully allocated all the funds for the month of April,” Connors said.

EWEB expected a high level of community interest, and nearly tripled their budget to $234,000. Connors said for folks who weren’t able to apply, they can try again on May 1st. She recommends having necessary documents on hand, such as a PDF or a JPEG image showing proof of unemployment because of the coronavirus.

EWEB won't shut off utilities and has suspended late fees during the pandemic. Connors said customers should try to work out a payment plan so they don't accrue a large amount of debt.

© KLCC 2020

Melorie Begay is a multimedia journalist for KLCC News. She was the Inaugural KLCC Public Radio Foundation Journalism Fellow. She has a bachelors in Multimedia Journalism from the University of New Mexico. She previously interned at KUNM public radio in Albuquerque, NM and served as a fellow for the online news publication New Mexico In Depth.