Water Bills Assistance for African Americans

Water bills are one of the more affordable bills that people get on a regular basis. Most water bills are around $35-100 per month around the country. The amount largely depends on the state that you live in. Some people are paying $30 per month for water, while people in other states are paying $100 per month. Even with it being one of the smaller payments we have to make there are people will struggle to pay it each month. The good news is that there is water bills assistance for African Americans and others who need assistance.

While water bills may not be real high, the reason some people struggle to pay it is because the cost of just about everything else keeps rising. The rising cost of inflation and in living in general is putting the squeeze on people, making it to where their money doesn’t go as far. Many salaries have not kept up with the amount of money that things are now costing people.

Getting Bill Payment Assistance

If you have difficulty paying for water bills the first thing to do is call your water company. Let them know you are experiencing financial difficulties and see if they have any programs in place that will help. Many utility providers have programs to help those who are struggling to pay their bill. They may have programs that can eliminate your bill, reduce your monthly bills, or let you pay on a basis that spreads it out more over the course of the year.

Your water company may also know of local programs that will help with water bills assistance. There may be local nonprofit organizations that will help with smaller utility bills. The water utility provider may be able to give you referrals to programs in your area that can help with getting your bills paid each month, whether you need help one time to get caught up or you need it on a monthly basis.

Programs Offering Water Bill Payment Assistance

Contact the programs below to inquire about assistance paying for your water bills. You can contact more than one program to see if you can get help. By contacting more than one you will help ensure you get the assistance needed to keep the bills paid and the water flowing. Most programs will require that you show your income, and that you meet certain low income guidelines they have.

Some programs may also require that you be a citizen or legal non-citizen in order to be approved. If you are approved for the programs they will typically send the funds directly to the water provider on your behalf.

Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) – This program is funded by the federal government. They will provide bill payment assistance for water bills and waste water bills. They serve everyone in the 50 states and all U.S. territories. Those who are approved for the program will have their water bill paid for by the federal government. You can apply for this program anytime during the year, and there is no limit to how long you can get help through it as long as you continue meeting the requirements for the program. To get more information or apply for the program, click here.

Salvation Army – This is a national faith-based organization that helps people in a variety of ways. They will help with paying small bills, such as the water bill. They provide emergency utility assistance to help African Americans and others pay for such things as the water bill, electric, gas, etc. They can help you avoid having your water shut off. To get more information and apply to get help paying the water bill, click here.

211 – This organization provides a free referral service for programs that will help with financial challenges. Those who need help paying for their bills, among other things, can contact them to get referrals to programs that will help. They have access to information about programs that are local to your area. You can call them by dialing 211 or visit their website for information on contacting them. Their service is available around the country and is free to use. To get more information about the service or contact them for help paying the water bill, click here.

Catholic Charities – This organization has locations around the country. They provide helpful programs to those who are struggling financially. In addition to offering people things like food and shelter, they will help with some utility bill assistance. They are a faith-based program, but you do not have to be religious to receive help from their programs. To find a location near you, click here.

Customer Assistance Program – For those who live in the Tampa, Florida area, they can apply for the Customer Assistance Program. The program will help people pay for their utility bills if they earn a low income. To get more information about the program and apply, click here.

Additional Ways to Get Help

In addition to these programs that you may be able to get help to pay the water bill, you can also contact our local city government offices. Many local city government offices have programs in place to help people in the area who need it. They can also provide you with referrals to programs in your area. Contact the government office to let them know you are trying to find programs that will help with paying the water bill. They should be able to either provide you with a program themselves, or give you a referral to a local program that can help.

The more programs you reach out to the better position you will be in to get help paying your water bill. African Americans and others do not have to struggle to keep the water turned on. Anyone who is experiencing financial hardship can get help to keep their utility bills on and the bills paid. It’s just a matter of applying for the programs.

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