Avoid Water Shutoffs with Customer Assistance Programs

Philadelphia Water Tiered Assistance Program: PWD launched its Tiered Assistance Program in 2017 to provide low-income customers with bill support before they fall behind. The program sets a resident’s bill as a percentage of household income and size. So, a family of four with a monthly income of 50% of the federal poverty level in 2026 would have a monthly water bill of ~$22. 

Aurora Cares: Aurora Water created “Aurora Cares” to provide bill payment assistance so that limited-income customers don’t need to worry about whether they can take a shower, do laundry or wash the dishes. Aurora modified its billing system to enable ratepayers to make donations to support lower income residents. Residents in need can receive up to $400 in assistance once a year, with a limit of four total awards.

Utility Assistance Resource Fairs: Cleveland, Ohio has a large population of residents below the poverty line, but its water and sewer affordability programs suffered from low rates of participation. The water and sewer utilities partnered with and local NGOs to ease the process and build trust through Utility Assistance Resource Fairs which have reached over 2,200 customers. Community members can drop in, get screened for multiple assistance programs at once, and receive application support. These events offer a “one-stop shop,” helping participants enroll in multiple assistance programs at once, maximizing the support they receive, and streamlining the application process.

Affordable Housing High-Efficiency Water Fixture Upgrades: A city-funded pilot in Westminster, Colorado retrofitted affordable multi-family housing with high-efficiency fixtures, cutting indoor water use by up to 48% and saving ~$65,000 annually in utility costs.