PIWD Joins State Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP)
The State of Rhode Island recently created a program to help low-income households pay their water bills. The Prudence Island Water District’s application to join this Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) has been approved.
The highest priority of the program is to help pay water bills for low-income customers who have had their service terminated, or who have been threatened with service disconnection due to overdue bills. In meetings with the State, they anticipate to pay:
- Up to $500 for eligible low-income customers who have been terminated
- 50% of past-due amounts for eligible customers who have been threatened with termination
Eligibility for the program is established using the guidance below:
In Rhode Island, applications to the program are handled by local “Community Action Agencies”. This is the same as for existing programs, such as Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The agency responsible for Portsmouth is the East Bay Community Action Program. To apply to the program, contact East Bay Community Action at (401)437-5102 or find them on the web at https://ebcap.org. As funding is limited for this temporary program, those interested in applying are encouraged not to wait.
The program may also help pay bills for low-income households who are in financial distress but are current on their bills, but this will only occur if there is sufficient funding available, and funds would appear to be quite limited at this time. The PIWD will provide more information as the program evolves.
Additional Resources
More details may be obtained from the appropriate federal, state, and local resources.
- East Bay Community Assistance Program (our local partner)
- State Water Assistance Program Website
- Federal LIHWAP Program Website
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