HHS Publishes Resources for New Water Assistance Program

On April 20, the Office of Community Services (OCS) from the Department of Health and Human Services released materials addressing the new Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) funded through recent aid packages signed into law. Modeled after the Low-Income Household Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), LIHWAP grants provide assistance to low-income households for water and wastewater utility bills, especially those with accounts in arrears or households facing a disconnection of services. The resources published include application documents, upcoming deadlines, content from a recent feedback session, and more. The first round of LIHWAP funding is expected to be disbursed at the end of May.

The OCS has also opened a survey accessible through April 27 to collect feedback over LIHWAP. The survey and resources can be found here:

• LIHWAP Landing Page

GFOA’s Federal Liaison Center will continue to monitor this program as information becomes available.