7. Within 120 days of the effective date of P.L.2021, c.317 (C. 40A:5A-28 et al.), the Board of Public Utilities shall include each sewer and water public utility in the board’s Winter Termination Program as established by the board pursuant to rules and regulations adopted by the board and published in the New Jersey Administrative Code. In addition to the inclusion of sewer and water public utilities, the board shall establish within the Winter Termination Program:

a. categorical eligibility for any customer receiving assistance under the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program established pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, Pub.L.116-260 or any other State, local, or utility program that provides assistance specifically to help eligible customers pay sewer or water bills;

b. a process, in a form and manner to be determined by the board, which allows a residential customer to self-certify an inability to pay their public utility bill due to circumstances beyond the customer’s control, provided that the circumstances shall include, but not be limited to, unemployment, illness, medically related expenses, recent death of an immediate family member, and any other circumstances that might cause financial hardship; and

c. a requirement that a water public utility shall maintain or reconnect water public utility service if the water public utility residential customer can prove they have submitted an application for assistance under the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program established pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, Pub.L.116-260 or any other State, local, or utility program that provides assistance or discounted rates specifically to help eligible customers pay sewer or water bills, before such application has been approved, denied, or withdrawn, unless there is a utility emergency. Upon request, the residential customer shall provide the public utility with an update on the status of the application.

L. 2021, c.317, s.7.