Aurora Water Cares

Aurora Water Cares

Aurora Water created Aurora Water Cares to provide bill payment assistance so that limited-income customers experiencing challenges don’t need to worry about whether they can take a shower, do laundry or wash the dishes. Under this initiative, homeowners and renters who are past due on their bills can receive up to $125 in assistance once a year, with a limit of four total awards.

The program is funded by individuals’ donations as well as one-time CARES Act funds provided to the city as part of the federal COVID-relief package. To implement the program, the utility partners with a local non-profit that runs the day-to-day operations including processing applications and determining eligibility. This partnership has been a staple of the success of Aurora Water Cares. Other foundations for success include the utility’s coordination with energy assistance programs and internal billing system with flexibility to accept donations. To evaluate the program’s impact, Aurora Water uses a data dashboard to measure shutoffs avoided and number of participants.