On Sept. 1, 2021, all delinquent Las Cruces Utilities (LCU) residential and business accounts will be subject to disconnection.
For anyone who is experiencing financial hardships, assistance is available to qualifying residential customers if they contact LCU Customer Central before September 1. LCU is making the announcement now to give customers with past-due and outstanding balances an opportunity to reconcile their accounts.
From March 1, 2020, through May 31, 2021, the Las Cruces Utility Assistance fund provided more than $460,000 and helped 2,343 residential customers pay their monthly utility bills. LCU will continue to offer several options to residential customers who have difficulties paying their utility bills or resolving past-due balances.
The assistance programs range from payment plan agreements to a promise to pay extension on the billing due date, depending on a customer’s financial situation. For a full list of financial assistance programs available to LCU customers, visit https://www.las-cruces.org/1961/Utilities-Billing-and-Receivables.
Since April 2020 and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, LCU stopped all disconnections due to non-payment. During the pandemic, LCU prioritized the health and safety of customers and continued to deliver exceptional service. Now that New Mexico is opening again and lifting all pandemic-related restrictions beginning July 1, LCU will be reinstating the disconnections. However, the city-owned utility is providing a grace period until Sept. 1, 2021, to give customers time to settle any past-due accounts.
If an LCU customer needs financial assistance, they are urged to call customer central at 575/541-2111 or email Receivables@las-cruces.org and include their name and street address. For customers who prefer to discuss their payment options in person, they can visit one of two convenient locations, Customer Central at City Hall, 700 N. Main St., which is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, or the East Mesa Customer Central Center, 5195 Bataan Memorial West. That location is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday.
For information and updates, visit the LCU website or call Customer Central at 575/541-2111. The TTY number is 575/541-2182.