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Help with water bills in Philadelphia.

There are several ways to either get help with paying and/or saving money on water bills in Philadelphia. The city provides discounts to senior citizens as well as reduced rates for low-income families as part of the Tiered Assistance Program (TAP). Some charities also offer emergency water bill assistance as well. Learn more on water bill assistance programs in Philadelphia below.

Discounts on water bills in Philadelphia

Families living close to (but not necessarily in) the poverty line can receive a discount on their monthly water bills from the Tiered Assistance Program (TAP) that is being offered throughout Philadelphia. The program will not only help low income as well as working poor families pay a reduced rate on their water service, but it will also in effect eliminate any arrears on the account. Many senior citizens, disabled residents, or the underemployed may be qualified as they often live on a fixed income.

Applications are required. In general the families income needs to be at or below 150% of federal government poverty levels. This will also scale based on the number of family members in the home. So if there are more people, the applicants income can be higher; as long as it is still below the 150% poverty threshold. The federal government set this level each year.

All of the monthly payments to the Philadelphia Tiered Assistance Program will be based on income. Since this is the case, it will in effect provide the household with a discount as they can save money if their income is lower. The exact terms and conditions will be communicated to the family after they apply and are accepted.

Most clients will still need to pay a small fixed amount (often between 2 and 4 percent) of their income towards their water bills. This still should still be significantly less than they are paying now.

Not only will this provide a set discount to the customer, but another huge benefit is the consistency of the payment. The amount due for a water bill will be the same month in and month out; provided the customer does not abuse the privileged and run up usage to non-typical levels. In those cases the Department of Social Services and/or Water Department can investigate and take action if needed.

 

 

 

In addition to those criteria, the applicant does not need to be in arrears when applying to TAP.  So they can have been paying their Philadelphia water bills on time and still apply. However, if the customer is delinquent for any reason, then the Philadelphia Tiered Assistance Program (TAP) will in effect eliminate any balance due on the account. This is done within reason, and there is a cap in place.

Senior citizens can get a reduced rate too. There is the Philly Senior Citizen Discount, which will be for people over the age of 65 that have a low income. While the terms and conditioners vary, in general their monthly water bill will be reduced by up to 25%. These savings can also be combined with payment plans, hardship grant money and other forms of financial help. Or look here for other free government money for seniors in PA.

Applications to the TAP program as well as Senior Discount. Many local non-profits can help people apply. Or dial the Philadelphia Water Department at (215) 685-6300.

Water bill assistance from charities

While not as common, some non-profits and charities in the city of Philadelphia will offer emergency help on water bills to customers facing a disconnection. This type of financial help is limited, with strict application processes and generally the amount of money provided is minimal.

Non-profit agencies including Community Legal Services (CSL), the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities and other social service groups will try to help low-income families keep their water on. Most of the support is also for the vulnerable if they were to lose access to their water, such as senior citizens, someone with a disability or a young child at home. An effective place to try for grant, or referrals, is the Mayor's Office of Community Empowerment, which serves as the local community action agency. Find more details on help from Philadelphia Office of Community Action Empowerment.

 

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By Jon McNamara

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