Council Approves Participation in Program Aimed at Aiding Low-Income Households With Past Due Water Bills

As part of Monday’s consent calendar the City Council approved a resolution allowing the Pasadena Water and Power (PWP) to participate in a new state-administered program that provides low-income residential customers a one-time assistance amounting to up to $2,000 to pay for their outstanding water and wastewater bills.

The federally-funded program, called Low Income Household Water Assistance Program, (LIHWAP) will apply to past due water and wastewater bills incurred prior to or during the COVID-19 pandemic.

California has been allocated a total of $116 million to provide assistance through the LIHWAP.

“The new federally-funded Low Income Household Water Assistance Program will provide one-time financial assistance to low-income Californians to help manage their residential water and wastewater utility costs. This program will help low income households pay down their outstanding water and wastewater bills,” according to a city staff report.

The administering agency for LIHWAP is the California Department of Community Services and Development (CSD).

In October 2021, the City Council has approved PWP’s participation in two other state programs providing financial assistance namely the California Arrearage Payment Program (CAAP) and the California Water and Wastewater Arrearage Payment Program (CWWAPP).

The assistance under the programs applied only to delinquent balances accrued between March 4, 2020 and June 15, 2021.

Unlike LIHWAP, which is only open to low-income residential households, CAPP and CWWAPP are open to both commercial and residential customers of any income level.

According to PWP, the federal funding provided under the LIHWAP “will serve as a complementary resource to CWWAPP and CAPP.”

To be eligible for LIHWAP, the total household income must be at or below 60 percent of the state median income or a member of the household must be a current recipient of benefits from Low-Income Household Energy Assistance Program, (LIHEAP) CalFresh or CalWORKs.

For more information regarding PWP programs to assist customers having difficulty paying bills visit: https://PWPweb.com/LowIncome.