Program Impact on Households
LIHWAP has had a profound effect on households and communities by reducing water debt. The efforts of OCS and grant recipients to monitor this impact through comprehensive quarterly and annual reports, supplemented by research conducted by OCS staff, have provided valuable insights.
Grant recipients have assisted a significant number of households beyond FY21 and FY22.
By the second quarter of FY23, LIHWAP increased households served by 98.4%, and all participating states had launched their programs.
Key Findings for 2022 and 2023
What Have We Learned?
Demographic Data from Annual Reports:
- Out of 124 grant recipients, 104 (84%) provided data on ethnicity, 102 (82%) on race, 94 (76%) on self-reported gender, and 87 (70%) on home ownership status.
- In FY21 and FY22[29] , 430,942 households and at least 924,562 household members were assisted.[30]
Demographic Analysis for FY 2022:
- American Indians/Alaska Natives and Blacks/African Americans, as well as those with extremely low income (under 75% of the Federal Poverty Level), were overrepresented among household recipients compared to national demographic data.
- Black and Latino households are twice as likely as White households to lack indoor plumbing, and Native American households are 19 times as likely.[31]
- 28.78% of household members did not report their race, potentially affecting the accuracy of demographic distribution.
Ethnicity Disparities and Reporting Challenges:
- Hispanics were underrepresented in reported data compared to national statistics; ethnicity data was unavailable for 28.35% of all household members.
- Some grant recipients had not provided benefits by the reporting period's end, potentially impacting demographic distributions.
Vulnerable Populations and Service Characteristics:
An average of 54% of households served had at least one older adult, young child, or individual with a disability, considered vulnerable populations by LIHWAP.
Race and Ethnicity of LIHWAP Household Members Served in FY22 Compared to National Demographic Data[32]
Serving Renters and Homeowners:
- Approximately 28% of households served were owned, 26% were rented, and 45% had an other or unknown status.
- Challenges include serving individuals in units with included water bills and those who own or rent mobile homes with water fees included in lot or space rental.
Challenges in Third-Party Agreements:
- Grant recipients faced challenges in establishing three-party agreements with landlords and/or their water service providers, particularly when a third-party company operated as a property manager or billing entity.
- Continued efforts are being made to ensure equitable service to both renters and homeowners.
Renter and Very Low-Income Households Served by LIWHAP in FY22 Compared to National Demographic Data
State Examples
Washington
0%
Households served by LIHWAP in Washington in FY2022 were renters
Colorado
0%
Households served by LIHWAP in Colorado in FY2022 were renters