Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine issued a statewide order Tuesday, March 31 that will prevent water utilities from shutting off connections due to non-payment and will require them to restore service to those customers whose water has been disconnected.
Greater Cincinnati Water Works already announced March 16 that it had suspended all shut-offs and is restoring water to previously shut-off customers to make sure citizens have the water they need during the COVID-19 pandemic “due to the critical role that water service plays in promoting handwashing, cleaning of surfaces, improved hygiene, and disease prevention.” And on March 20, they noted that Mayor John Cranley had announced the temporary suspension of late fees of unpaid bills until further notice.
DeWine said that water utilities will not automatically restore connections. It will be the responsibility of customers to contact their local service provider. But utilities will be required to restore connections regardless of a customer’s payment history. (DeWine said that customers will still be required to pay their bills.)
The goal of the order is to ensure that Ohioans, who have been ordered to remain in their homes for all but essential trips, have access to basic necessities.
DeWine also announced a new order that will require all organizations in the ventilator supply chain to provide regular updates about the number and location of available machines so that medical providers can easily locate devices that provide breathing assistance.
Manufacturers, distributors, hospital systems and all others who own or sell these devices will be required to report them every Wednesday at coronavirus.ohio.gov/ventinventory. (Individual ventilators owned for personal use are exempted from the order.)
Ohio’s health director Dr. Amy Acton provided daily updates on the spread of COVID-19 in the state. As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 2,199 confirmed cases of the virus in Ohio, with 585 hospitalizations and 55 deaths. Cuyahoga County led all state counties in total cases (527) and hospitalizations (129). Mahoning County has recorded the most deaths in the state, with nine. Hamilton County has 124 confirmed cases (including Cincinnati, Sprindgale and Norwood).
This article appears in Best Of Cincinnati 2020 (12098053).
