All five Public Utility Commission commissioners recently urged members of the Pennsylvania Congressional delegation to support a permanent program to provide financial assistance for water and wastewater services to low-income households.

In a letter to the delegation from all five PUC Commissioners, they said, “Water is an essential utility service for which there is no substitute. Communities across Pennsylvania rely on water systems to provide safe drinking water, nourish our families, run our homes and businesses, and protect public health.”

The Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) is the first-ever federal program created to exclusively assist low-income families with their water and wastewater bills.

More than 52,000 LIHWAP grants have provided nearly $44 million in assistance to Pennsylvania families since the program was created in 2021 in response to financial challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic unveiled the lack of financial resources and aid available to populations of low-income water and wastewater customers. 

However, despite the established need and success of the program, there is no funding for LIHWAP included in congressional appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2024.

The PUC letter urges support for LIHWAP funding in the 2024 fiscal year, along with a mechanism to permanently fund a program like LIHWAP for water and wastewater customers.

“LIHWAP has proven to be a successful program in getting assistance to those who need it the most,” the PUC letter stressed. “If the LIHWAP program lapses, there is no question that many will suffer.”

Click Here for a copy of the letter.

NewsClip:

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: PUC Commissioners Ask For Permanent Federal Low-Income Water, Wastewater Bill Assistance

[Posted: January 8, 2024]

1/15/2024