Low Income Household Water Assistance Program

​Illustrations of sink, washing machine, hose, bathtub, and toilet​

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 f​unded 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 Ca​​lifornia. 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 P​ayment En​​​​rollment​​

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Enrollment for water and wastewater systems is now open for LIHWAP​. Water or wastewater systems must enro​​ll 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, HORN​E, will be in touch to complete the enrollment process.

LIHWAP Direct Payment Interest Form​​​​

Water or wastewater systems seeking additional information on LIHWAP can review the Water and Wastewater System E​nrollment Webinar.​​
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LIHWAP RESOURCES

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Events

CSD held a remote public meeting on July 29, 2021, to receive input on the California Low Income Household Water Assistance P​rogram (LIHWAP) State Plan. 

For assistance or questions regarding this meeting, please email ​LIHWAP@csd.ca.gov​.​​

Sign up for LIHWAP email ​updates​​​​

 

 

Paying My Energy Billshttps://www.csd.ca.gov/Pages/Assistance-PayingMyEnergyBills.aspxPaying My Energy Bills/PublishingImages/Pages/Home/Newest%20Thermostat%20v1.png
Community Serviceshttps://www.csd.ca.gov/Pages/Assistance-CommunityServices.aspxCommunity Services/PublishingImages/Pages/Home/CSBG%20Blue.png
Home Energy Efficiencyhttps://www.csd.ca.gov/Pages/Assistance-HomeEnergyEfficiency.aspxHome Energy Efficiency/PublishingImages/Pages/Home/Energy%20Efficiency%20green%20thick%20outline%20(1).png
Paying My Water Billshttps://www.csd.ca.gov/waterbillPaying My Water Bills/PublishingImages/LIHWAP%20Find%20Assistance%20Blue%20Circle.png

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