APPLICATIONS CLOSED: Water Utility Bill Assistance Available for Eligible Arlington Residents
Editor's Note on Nov. 30, 2023: TexasUtilityHelp.com is no longer taking applications for assistance through the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP). Funding for the federal LIHWAP program has not been extended to 2024. Community Action Partners continues to take applications for water bill assistance from residents of Tarrant County, but only in person or by mail. The Arlington CAP office is at 401 W. Sanford St., Suite 2700. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the phone number for the location is 817-392-7425. An mail-in application can be downloaded from the CAP website here: https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/neighborhoods/cap/apply.
Arlington Water Utilities customers who meet income requirements can apply for assistance at TexasUtilityHelp.com. Assistance may be paid up to the total amount due for payment in order to reconnect water service, avoid disconnection of water service, or for a current bill.
The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) announced last month that in addition to receiving assistance with past-due bills, qualifying applicants can also now get assistance for future bills. The program change adds future payments for water and wastewater assistance at $85 per month, through Dec. 31, 2023. Visit https://texasutilityhelp.com/ to apply.
Applicants must meet the following criteria to qualify:
- Household income must be at or below 150% of Federal Poverty Income Guidelines.
- At least one occupant in the household must be a United States citizen or Qualified Alien.
TDHCA advises anyone who qualifies for water and wastewater assistance to apply as soon as possible in order to receive the maximum possible benefit. The total amount of future payments will depend on when an application is approved.
The Texas Utility Help program requires utilities to sign a vendor agreement to allow their customers to receive assistance. Arlington Water Utilities completed an agreement in 2022 to allow residents to access this federally-funded assistance.
According to the program website:
- Homeowners and renters are both eligible to apply. Eligible property types include single-family homes, multi-family buildings, and mobile homes.
- Once a household’s application is approved, payment is sent directly to the utility company.
- Households who provide proof of participation in the following programs are considered categorically eligible, meaning they do not need to submit income documentation: Supplemental Security Income payments from the Social Security Administration (SSI) and Means-Tested Veterans Program recipient (Veterans Pension or Survivors Benefit, not Service-Connected Disability).
For more information and to apply, visit TexasUtilityHelp.com.
Additionally, Arlington Water Utilities began participating last year in the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP), a federally funded assistance program for customers meeting certain income requirements. While the program is administered by the Community Action Partners Services through the City of Fort Worth, it is available to all Tarrant County residents who qualify based on income.
Many Arlington customers have already received assistance paying past due water bills through the LIHWAP funding. Click here more information on the LIHWAP aid program or to apply online.
For more information about all of Arlington Water’s aid programs for customers, visit ArlingtonTX.gov/CareandShare.
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