The City of Tulsa and the Tulsa Metropolitan Utility Authority (TMUA) have announced a temporary utility payment grace period through January 31, 2026, for residents affected by the ongoing federal government shutdown.

Any Tulsa resident who is a furloughed federal employee or a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipient struggling to pay bills because of the shutdown will not lose water service during this time.

Under this temporary policy, Utility Billing Services will allow qualifying customers extra time to make utility payments without risking service interruption during the shutdown period. 

If you’ve been affected by the shutdown and can’t make your utility payment right now, your water service will stay on.

During this time:

• No shutoffs will occur for verified furloughed federal employees and SNAP recipients.
• Furloughed federal employees will need to show a personalized furlough letter addressed to the applicant. If their letter is not personalized, they will also need to provide their federal ID to qualify.
• SNAP recipients will need to show their benefits letter.
  • Documents and questions should be emailed to tulsa311@cityoftulsa.org. Customers will also need to include their account number and customer ID in their initial email. This information can be found on your monthly utility statement.
• Applicants without email/internet access must provide the information above in-person at City Hall, 175 E. 2nd St., Tulsa, OK, Monday-Friday, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
• Bills are not being waived - customers will still owe the balance. However, the City will pause disconnections and work with individuals on a reasonable payment plan once income or benefits resume.
• There will be no additional penalties or service interruptions during the shutdown.