Congress created the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program as a temporary benefit to help millions of low-income households pay for their water and wastewater bills during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program helped over 1.4 million households after funding expired in September 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). But the agency that helped run the program is offering Americans other ways to find additional financial help.
What is the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP)?
The Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program was established in December 2020 under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. LIHWAP was created as part of an overall emergency effort to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus, with the public health focus of ensuring that low-income households have access to safe and clean drinking water and wastewater services.
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) administered LIHWAP at the Federal level within HHS.
Who was eligible for LIHWAP?
LIHWAP assisted households with the lowest incomes, and who pay a high proportion of household income for drinking water and wastewater services or are facing water disconnection.
State, territory, and tribal agencies that ran LIHWAP programs looked at whether households received other benefits, such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or used the same eligibility criteria as used for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, including:
- Having a household income below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level ($22,590 for a single person in 2024; $30,660 for a couple)1 or 60% of the state’s median income
- Giving priority to households that include an older adult, a member with a disability, or young children (ages 5 and younger).
Eligible recipients got an average benefit of $415, which went to owners or operators of public water systems or treatment works to reduce overdue payments and water bills.2
I received LIHWAP benefits before it expired. How do I get help paying my water bill now?
If you no longer receive LIHWAP benefits, ACF recommends reaching out to the following places or organizations:3
- Your utility company: Ask if they have a bill payment assistance program. If there is no program, ask if there are any programs they can refer you to.
- Community Action Agency: Community Action Agencies can connect you with social service programs that can help you find financial help. The National Community Action Partnership has a map to help you find the closest agency near you.
- United Way: You can search for community-based help through United Way’s website or call 2-1-1 to find services near you.
The National Council on Aging’s BenefitsCheckUp online tool can also help you find local assistance programs that pay for utilities, housing, and more.
Sources
1. Administration for Children and Families. LIHEAP IM 2024-02 Federal Poverty Guidelines for 50 states. Found on the Internet at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ocs/COMM_LIHEAP_IM%202024-02_Att2FPGTables_States.pdf
2. Administration for Children and Families. Low Income Household Water Assistance Program: Implementation and Impact Report Part One - June 2021 – June 2023. Found on the Internet at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ocs/41089_LIHWAP_Annual_Report_v15_RELEASE_508%201-11-2024.pdf
3. Administration for Children and Families. Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP). September 2, 2022. Found on the Internet at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/programs/lihwap
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