Navajo Tribal Utility Authority NTUA Temporary Policy

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic is an event that none of us have experienced. It is an event that it is evolving daily. NTUA is considered an essential service company and must work to maintain and operate multi-utility services. From the onset of COVID-19 in the region, the NTUA has viewed the crisis as both a public health concern and a matter of economic hardship.

Until a vaccine is created, we remain under the threat of COVID-19, and our business operations must be prepared to respond to that threat. We have implemented measures to safeguard our employees and customers. We created and follow strict internal guidelines that are regularly updated as new recommendations are issued from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

In order to make our work environment safe for employees and customers, NTUA district offices and Choice NTUA Wireless stores have a strict daily cleaning/sanitizing schedule at district offices and NTUAW Stores. Employees wipe down offices every two hours, and offices also are professionally cleaned. We also reduced business hours. District offices and Choice NTUA Wireless stores will be open from 9 am to 3:30 pm. The first hour is set aside for customers age 60 and older, and for people with underlying health conditions.

We know that everyone has been greatly impacted by this unforeseen event. We want to assure you that we are committed to fulfill our obligation to provide life-essential services to the Navajo Nation. We wish you well and encourage you to remain safe by practicing social distancing.

Encouraging On-line & Remote Payments; New Office Hours

In order to make our work environment safe for employees and customers - NTUA District Offices/Choice NTUA Wireless stores will reduce hours to the general public.

We strongly encourage customers to use on-line or remote payment options such as:

• Online Payments at www.ntua.com

• Call the Automated Phone: 1-866-903-4452

• Use the Drop Boxes located @ each NTUA District Office

• Mail payments to Box 170 Fort Defiance, Arizona 86504

• Call our customer service line: 1-800-528-5011

Starting Monday, March 30th - NTUA District Offices and Choice NTUA Wireless stores will be open 9 am to 3:30 pm. The first hour - will be set aside for Senior Citizens over 60 and for people with underlying health conditions

These are a few changes we have implemented during the current health emergency. If you have any questions - click here. Thank you and we do appreciate your understanding.

We are open for these primary reasons
NTUA is an Essential Business
1. We must keep utilities operating so people can remain home and sheltered in place.
• Since the beginning of March, our crews have responded to water and electric outages.
• While our crews repair the water lines and reconnect electric services, we have internal staff
members that are essential to the process, including radio dispatchers, contact center
representatives, customer service representatives, utility planners, accounting staff, warehouse
personnel , and information technology support. One utility job requires the support of all these
ancillary but essential employees.
• We operate like a jigsaw puzzle. Every department fits in place to complete the entire
organizational puzzle.

2. NTUA operates 15 watering points throughout the Nation, four of which are located at NTUA District
Offices. These water pointing require a card that can only be charged at the District Offices. We must
stay open so that our people hauling water have access to the closest watering stations.

3. Customers are also requesting utility connection or reconnection, including new internet services for
their children. These are children in K-12 and college who have to continue their education on-line.

4. Less than 50 percent of our customer base has access to the internet. Only 40 percent of our homes
have a land-line home phone. A large percentage of our customers do not have bank accounts or credit
cards. They are very uncomfortable conducting remote business transactions. Closing the offices will
cause undue stress and hardship on our customers who have no choice but to come into the District
Offices or Choice NTUA Wireless Stores (NTUAW).

5. We have to pay our bills and employees. We have to pay our electric and natural gas suppliers and
vendors for materials we need to operate our utility systems. We also pay for water for the Shiprock
region and Lechee, including the immediate surrounding area.

• Closing our offices would be a tremendous disservice to customers who are requesting these
life-essential services.
• COVID-19 has severely crushed the national, regional and local economies. We will keep our utility
business operating for the safety and health of our customers and to preserve 768 jobs.
NTUA COVID19 Policies and Procedures

We have implemented many policies and procedures to limit exposure to COVID-19
1. On March 16, we implemented a non-disconnect for utility customers that are affected by the
COVID-19. We also are not charging reconnect fees or late fees for those who have to reconnect utilities.

2. We have a strict cleaning/sanitizing schedule at district offices and NTUAW Stores. Employees wipe
down offices every two hours, and offices also are professionally cleaned.

3. Social Distancing: NTUA continually updates its written guidelines concerning social distancing
requirements as new developments emerge. NTUA began encouraging social distancing as early as
March 11.

4. Reserve workforce rotation: 115 employees at a time are ordered to stay home for 15 days. This
started March 27 through the creation of NTUA COVID-19 Reserve Crews and Personnel. The reserve
teams rotate so that we have a healthy team at all times.

5. Restricted Travel: Starting March 15, NTUA suspended all travel with the exception of business-critical
travel like responding to outages. Business-critical travel beyond the Navajo Nation at this point is largely
limited to securing supplies to protect against COVID-19. NTUA employees also are not allowed to travel
beyond border towns. Beginning March 23, NTUA directed its employees that they are not to travel
beyond the border towns of the Navajo Nation, even in their non-NTUA time. This measure was taken to
both protect our employees and business and to support the Navajo Nation’s Public Health Orders.

6. Shorter work days: NTUA employees go home at 4 pm, rather than 5 pm, starting March 30, 2020. This
is to allow our employees to support their families and use the time to do what they need to do in light of
the Navajo Nation curfew.

7. Remote payments: We have been encouraging our customers to use on-line and remote payment
options, such as paying on-line, calling toll-free automated phones, using drop-boxes or direct mail.

8. Quarantine: Employees are placed on a 14-day quarantine because they may have been possibly
exposed to COVID-19. Exposure could have occurred because they traveled beyond the border towns,
have family members who were traveling, or they were possibly exposed at home or at work. We do
conduct internal investigations to determine possible point of contact with co-workers, family, relatives, or
friends.
NTUA Temporary Disconnection Policy

NTUA Temporary Disconnection Policy

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic is an event that none of us have experienced and it is an event that it is evolving daily. NTUA is responding with this Temporary Policy to assist our residential customers who are directly or indirectly affected by COVID-19.

Beginning March 16, 2020, NTUA started:
• Delaying utility service disconnections for residential customers
• Waiving late fees for residential customers
• Waiving reconnection fees for residential customers

If you are a non-residential customer and you need assistance in paying your utility bills because you are directly or indirectly affected by COVID-19), please contact Customer Service at 1-800-528-5011.

• As such, when the time comes to end this
Temporary Policy, NTUA will provide ten (10) days’
   notice.

• This Temporary Policy may continue to evolve as the
   global pandemic continues and the global response
   continues to develop.
Paying your Utility Bill or If You need Assistance
It is important that residential customers try to keep current on their utility bills to prevent current and future financial hardship. In order to prevent the spread of the virus, please consider paying your utility bill through the following means

• Online: Pay online at www.ntua.com
• Phone: Pay through an automated phone number: 1-866-903-4452.
• Mail: Pay your bill through the mail.
• Drop Box: Drop your payments into the drop box located outside of each NTUA District Office.

NTUA offices will remain open and you can continue to pay your bill in person, but we strongly encourage you to pay your bill online, by phone, or through the mail so that we are all doing our part to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Need Assistance?
If you are unable to pay your residential bill because you are affected directly or indirectly by COVID-19, please contact NTUA by:
• Calling Customer Service at 1-800-528-5011
• Sending a message here.
• Sending a message through the NTUA Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/NTUAHome/

If you are a non-residential customer and you need assistance paying your utility bills because you are directly or indirectly affected by COVID-19), please contact Customer Service at 1-800-528-5011.
Unable to Pay Residential Bill because you are affected
directly or indirectly by COVID-19
Need Assistance?

If you are unable to pay your residential bill because you are affected directly or indirectly by COVID-19, please contact NTUA by:

          • Calling Customer Service at 1-800-528-5011
          • Sending a message here.
          • Sending a message through the NTUA Facebook page:
            https://www.facebook.com/NTUAHome/
Statements Not Changing
Your residential utility bill will continue to state the disconnect date for non-payment. Please know that there will be no disconnections at this time for residential customers.
Our Promise and the Future
NTUA honors a commitment to provide and maintain reliable multi-utility services to the Navajo Nation and surrounding areas. We are closely monitoring COVID-19 updates, Navajo Nation leadership updates, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations.
NTUA respects our role as a Navajo enterprise and we are honored to serve the Navajo people.