Help paying your water bill in 2026
LIHWAP, the federal water-bill program, sunset on March 31, 2024, and the Administration for Children and Families says households cannot receive its benefits. As of 2026-10-11, the enacted Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (Public Law 119-75), Labor and Health and Human Services appropriations included, does not mention LIHWAP, household water or water assistance.
Find your utility's own program
Enter your ZIP code to open its TapWaterData page, which lists the water utilities serving that ZIP code. Each utility's page shows the assistance programs we have verified for its customers.
Where to ask
If you are behind on a water bill or have a shutoff notice, these are the places 211 and the Administration for Children and Families point to.
- 211 advises contacting your utility provider, explaining your situation and asking about options to help you pay. 211 notes that your utility's contact information is usually included on your monthly bill.
- 211 says it helps with electric, gas, water or internet bills, and that you can call 211 to speak to a specialist. 211.org: help with utility bills
- The U.S. Administration for Children and Families refers households to their local Community Action Agency and to United Way 2-1-1. The Community Action Partnership locator finds a local Community Action Agency by name, ZIP, state, county, radius or service. Find a Community Action Agency
- Your state's row shows any state program, discounts from private water companies or shutoff protections we have verified. Help by state
Sources: 211 (United Way Worldwide) (Verified ); U.S. Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services (Verified ); Community Action Partnership (Verified )
Can LIHEAP pay a water bill?
Federal law defines LIHEAP's “home energy” as a source of heating or cooling, so LIHEAP is an energy program, not a water-bill program.
The places 211 and the Administration for Children and Families name for help with a water bill are listed under Where to ask.
Source: U.S. Code, 42 U.S.C. § 8622 (via Cornell LII) (Verified )
Help by state
Each row shows the state programs, private water company discounts and statewide shutoff protections we have verified at an official source, with the date we verified each one. A row we have not verified anything for points to Where to ask.
| State | What we have verified |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Alaska | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Arizona | Discounts from some private water companies Some investor-owned water companies here offer discounts to their own customers. Your utility's page shows whether yours is one of them. Verified |
| Arkansas | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| California | Discounts from some private water companies Some investor-owned water companies here offer discounts to their own customers. Your utility's page shows whether yours is one of them. Verified
|
| Colorado | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Connecticut | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Delaware | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| District of Columbia | State program
|
| Florida | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Georgia | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Hawaii | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Idaho | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Illinois | Discounts from some private water companies Some investor-owned water companies here offer discounts to their own customers. Your utility's page shows whether yours is one of them. Verified |
| Indiana | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Iowa | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Kansas | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Kentucky | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Louisiana | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Maine | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Maryland | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Massachusetts | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Michigan | State program
|
| Minnesota | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Mississippi | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Missouri | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Montana | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Nebraska | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Nevada | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| New Hampshire | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| New Jersey | Discounts from some private water companies Some investor-owned water companies here offer discounts to their own customers. Your utility's page shows whether yours is one of them. Verified
|
| New Mexico | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| New York | Discounts from some private water companies Some investor-owned water companies here offer discounts to their own customers. Your utility's page shows whether yours is one of them. Verified |
| North Carolina | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| North Dakota | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Ohio | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Oklahoma | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Oregon | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Pennsylvania | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Rhode Island | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| South Carolina | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| South Dakota | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Tennessee | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Texas | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Utah | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Vermont | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Virginia | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Washington | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| West Virginia | Discounts from some private water companies Some investor-owned water companies here offer discounts to their own customers. Your utility's page shows whether yours is one of them. Verified |
| Wisconsin | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
| Wyoming | Not yet verified Where 211 and the Administration for Children and Families say to ask is listed under Where to ask |
How to ask your utility
211 advises contacting your utility provider, explaining your situation and asking about options to help you pay. 211 notes that your utility's contact information is usually included on your monthly bill.
Questions you can ask about those options:
- Can I set up a payment plan for the amount I owe?
- Do you offer a discount for low-income, senior or disabled customers?
- Is there a hardship fund or a one-time grant?
- Does a medical condition in my home delay a shutoff?
- Which local agencies help your customers with water bills?
Source: 211 (United Way Worldwide) (Verified )
Questions
Who can help me with paying my water bill?
211 advises contacting your utility provider, explaining your situation and asking about options to help you pay. 211 says it helps with electric, gas, water or internet bills, and that you can call 211 to speak to a specialist. The U.S. Administration for Children and Families refers households to their local Community Action Agency and to United Way 2-1-1. The Community Action Partnership locator finds a local Community Action Agency by name, ZIP, state, county, radius or service.
What are the ways I can get help paying my water bill in Michigan?
Michigan's MDHHS Water Assistance Program offers households up to $3,000 in water-bill assistance per fiscal year, through Community Action Agencies until September 30, 2031 unless funding runs out first. It is run county by county, and MDHHS says to contact 2-1-1 if your county is not listed. It is for residential metered accounts under 200% of the Federal Poverty Level and/or households receiving FIP/TANF, FAP/SNAP, SER, SSI, WAP or WIC.
Sources
- California Department of Community Services and Development. “Low Income Household Water Assistance Program”. https://www.csd.ca.gov/waterbill (Verified )
- U.S. Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services. “Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP)”. https://acf.gov/ocs/programs-services/lihwap (Verified )
- U.S. Government Publishing Office (govinfo). “Public Law 119-75: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026”. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-119publ75/html/PLAW-119publ75.htm (Verified )
- 211 (United Way Worldwide). “Utilities Expenses”. https://www.211.org/get-help/utilities-expenses (Verified )
- Community Action Partnership. “Find A CAP”. https://communityactionpartnership.com/find-a-cap/ (Verified )
- U.S. Code, 42 U.S.C. § 8622 (via Cornell LII). “42 U.S. Code § 8622 - Definitions”. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/8622 (Verified )
- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. “Water Assistance Program”. https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/assistance-programs/water-assistance-program (Verified )
Last reviewed by TapWaterData Editorial. How we verify
Cite this page
"Help paying your water bill in 2026". TapWaterData, last reviewed 2026-10-11. https://www.tapwaterdata.com/water-bill-assistance