The new federal Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) provides financial assistance to low-income Californians to help manage their residential water utility costs. Established by Congress in December 2020, this federally funded program helps low-income households pay down their outstanding residential water or wastewater bills. California has been allocated $116 million in one-time funding to provide LIHWAP assistance.
The Department of Community Services and Development (CSD) is the designated administering agency for LIHWAP in California. Through LIHWAP, CSD works with a network of community-based local service providers to help low-income households pay down their outstanding residential water and wastewater utility bills.
For more information about how LIHWAP can help your household pay down your past due water or wastewater bills and how to apply visit LIHWAP Find Assistance.
Water System Direct Payment Enrollment
Enrollment for water and wastewater systems is now open for LIHWAP. Water or wastewater systems must enroll in LIHWAP direct payment agreements for their low-income customers to be able to participate. If you are a water or wastewater system, please take 2-3 minutes to submit an interest form.
Once you complete the interest form, CSD’s direct payment coordinator, HORNE, will be in touch to complete the enrollment process.
LIHWAP Direct Payment Interest Form
How can LIHWAP help water and wastewater systems?
The following video produced U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides information for water and wastewater systems about LIHWAP to build awareness and encourage participation. Participation from local water and wastewater systems is critical for the successful implementation of LIHWAP.
Water or wastewater systems seeking additional information on LIHWAP can review the Water and Wastewater System Enrollment Webinar.
LIHWAP RESOURCES
- Revised LIHWAP Program Guidelines (Released November 18, 2022)
- LIHWAP Water Utility Enrollment Status (as of October 28, 2022)
- Final LIHWAP Program Guidelines (Updated July 27, 2022)
- LIHWAP Local Service Provider Allocations (as of June 30, 2022)
- February 23, 2022 LIHWAP Public Meeting Written and Verbal Comments & Questions (Issued April 11, 2022)
- Final 2021 LIHWAP State Plan (Download and view in a PDF reader)
- 2021 LIHWAP State Plan (As submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on August 9, 2021)
- 2021 LIHWAP State Plan Public Meeting Written and Verbal Comments
- LIHWAP Model State Plan
- LIHWAP Program Page – U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Community Services
- Federal LIHWAP Laws & Regulations
- Assembly Bill 135 (Chapter 85, Statutes of 2021)
EVENTS
CSD held a remote Public Meeting on November 29, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. to provide an overview of the Revised LIHWAP Program Guidelines. CSD held a remote public meeting on July 29, 2021, to receive input on the California Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) State Plan.- 2021 LIHWAP State Plan Public Meeting Written and Verbal Comments
- 2021 LIHWAP State Plan Public Meeting Recording
- 2021 LIHWAP State Plan Public Meeting Presentation – July 29, 2021
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