Closeout

The establishment of the first federal household water assistance program during a global pandemic posed significant challenges. Due to the dedication, adaptability, and collaboration between the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Community Services, grant recipients, subgrant recipients, and water and wastewater providers, LIHWAP emerged as a successful initiative, with over 2.1 million water and wastewater assistance benefits going to households with low income across the country. For more than 1.5 million households, this has meant security and the ability to dedicate household income to other important necessities. Through flexible programming tailored by each grant recipient, LIHWAP provided rate reductions for households struggling to pay their water bills, prevented the disconnection of water and wastewater services, and reconnected households that had been disconnected from services. While LIHWAP has ended, water need has not. The pandemic shed light on the importance of water in protecting public health, and while the program met an acute need during a crisis, water access and affordability remains a critical issue in the United States. This applies not just to households struggling to make ends meet, but also to utility companies managing rising costs and aging infrastructure. This report has documented this issue, highlighted the impact of water assistance, and provided considerations and best practices that could be utilized should the U.S. reauthorize LIHWAP or a similar water assistance program.