From elevated levels of lead in the water and service interruptions to billing problems and an illegal line warranty program, customers of Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority have had to endure a lot in recent years. Now, city Councilwoman Deborah Gross has proposed a short-term program that puts customers first. The PWSA should adopt it.

Ms. Gross, a PWSA board member, this week proposed placing a moratorium on residential water shut-offs from Dec. 1 through March 31. That would ensure the water keeps flowing through the winter months even if consumers fall behind on their bills. That’s a fair step as the beleaguered agency considers a rate increase and develops a customer assistance program (something else that puts users first). The board is scheduled to vote on the proposal Oct. 12.

As the Post-Gazette’s Adam Smeltz reported, some customers need water to operate their heating systems. There’s also concern about contaminants accumulating in water that pools after a shut-off, and with the agency’s well-publicized issues with lead — not to mention the scare about animal and bird droppings that caused a service interruption in part of PWSA’s service area in August — there’s no reason to court further trouble on the health front.

Chronic problems with billing and meters may have left some consumers with inaccurate bills they shouldn’t have to pay anyway. The PWSA should spend the winter getting a handle on its many problems — the future of the agency is under study now — and give consumers a much-deserved break.

First Published: September 30, 2017, 4:00 a.m.