House reintroduces LIHWAP water assistance bill
In July, the House of Representatives introduced the bipartisan Low-Income Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) Establishment Act. The legislation would re-establish and make permanent, the first-ever federal water assistance program after funding for the program expired in 2022.
The bill was introduced by Reps. Eric Sorensen (D-Ill.), Rob Bresnahan (R-Pa.), Kim Schrier (D-Wash.), Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), and Sharice Davids (D-Kan.). Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) will sponsor the Senate version of the bill.
Congress created LIHWAP in 2020 as part of COVID-19 relief legislation to help low-income households reduce arrearages and keep up with future water bills. Lawmakers eventually provided the program with more than $1.1 billion in funding. LIHWAP has supported an estimated 1.5 million households, preventing nearly 1 million disconnections of water service and reducing more than 1.1 million water bills before it was shuttered.
The new LIHWAP Establishment Act would restart the program at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), providing a critical avenue for water systems to offer affordability assistance to low-income households. Funding will go from the state to the utility and be deducted from the household’s bill. The program will originate at HHS and then transition to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
States may also use up to 15% of funds to offset the cost of administering, determining eligibility of, and conducting outreach to low-income households.
“LIHWAP proved to be an essential lifeline, serving more than 1.6 million households who could not afford clean and safe water services,” said Adam Krantz, CEO of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA). “NACWA applauds the leadership of Representatives Sorensen and Bresnahan in recognizing the need for a permanent federal water assistance program. This investment would help public clean water agencies make necessary infrastructure investments for their communities while protecting households in need. We look forward to working with these Congressional water champions to get this critical program enacted.”
“Drinking water service is an essential lifeline, regardless of a person’s income,” added Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) CEO Tom Dobbins. “Just as the federal government has long-established programs to support nutrition assistance and home heating and cooling service for households in need, the LIHWAP Establishment Act would appropriately provide water assistance to low-income families throughout the country. AMWA appreciates the leadership of Reps. Sorensen and Bresnahan to advance water affordability, and looks forward to building additional support for this critical legislation.”
In addition to the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, the bill is supported by the American Water Works Association, National Association of Counties, National Association of Water, National League of Cities, Rural Community Assistance Partnership, U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the Water Environment Federation.