Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP)
Fact Sheet
What We Do
The Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) is a federal program that provides funding to states, territories, and tribes to assist households with low incomes in paying arrearages (past due bills) and rates charged to the household for drinking water and/or wastewater services. LIHWAP prioritizes providing assistance to households whose services have been disconnected due to non-payment, or are about to be disconnected.
Who We Serve
LIHWAP serves low incomes households that pay the greatest amount of their income towards their home drinking water and/or wastewater services. Each grant recipient sets eligibility criteria for households, including a household income cutoff that is no more than the greater of 150% of the Federal Poverty Line (FPL) or 60% of State Median Income (SMI). Households will need to check with the state, territory, or tribe in which they live to confirm eligibility rules in their area.
2021 Highlights
$1.1B
Was allocated to LIHWAP (including $500 million from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021)
Water service providers participated in the first LIHWAP webinar for water vendors
Partners answered our call to provide comments on the LIHWAP Implementation Plan
Watched OCS’ World Water Week sessions
Guidance documents issued to help grant recipients stand up their programs
Advancing Equity
$10K
Minimum award floor for tribes
LIHWAP requires grant recipients to treat homeowners and renters equally
LIHWAP Participation
Grant recipients received LIHWAP funding
States, including the District of Columbia
Territories
Tribes and tribal consortiums
Eligible Applicants
States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, U.S. territories (America Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and Virgin Islands), and federally and state-recognized tribes and tribal organizations that received FY 2021 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) grants.
Program Highlights
- LIHWAP is a new emergency program launched in FY 2021 in response to needs precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- September 1st, 2021, Montana became the first state to open up applications for LIHWAP.
- The program is modeled on LIHEAP but has its own unique characteristics; including the ability for recipients to purchase and distribute water bottles to meet the community needs.
- In response to a DCL, LIHWAP received over 500 responses to a public survey requesting input on elements of LIHWAP’s design.
*The presented data for FY 2021 should be considered preliminary pending final data validation.
Low Income Household Water Assistance Program Division of Energy Assistance Office of Community Services (202) 401-9351 LIHWAP Staff Contacts