On August 10th, 2021 the U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill which adds $500 Million for LIHEAP Over 5 Year, provides $3.5B for WAP, and creates Water Assistance Needs Study & 40 Pilot Projects. The WAP increase is a ten-fold increase in the program that received $310 million in FFY 2021. The Water Assistance Needs Study for low-income water assistance will set out to define water affordability and identify the need for a water assistance program. Based on the results of the needs study, EPA would provide funding for up to 40 pilot programs around the country to provide water assistance through bill assistance, a percent of income payment plan, rate reductions, hardship provisions, a lifeline rate, or utility debt relief. The bill has yet to be approved by the House of Representatives as of September 3rd, 2021.
NEADA, "Senate Bill Includes $500M Additional For LIHEAP, Creates Water Pilots", contributed by Morgan Sarao, The Energy Rights Project, Platform for Experimental Collaborative Ethnography, last modified 18 May 2022, accessed 26 April 2024. https://energyrights.info/content/senate-bill-includes-500m-additional-liheap-creates-water-pilots
Critical Commentary
On August 10th, 2021 the U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill which adds $500 Million for LIHEAP Over 5 Year, provides $3.5B for WAP, and creates Water Assistance Needs Study & 40 Pilot Projects. The WAP increase is a ten-fold increase in the program that received $310 million in FFY 2021. The Water Assistance Needs Study for low-income water assistance will set out to define water affordability and identify the need for a water assistance program. Based on the results of the needs study, EPA would provide funding for up to 40 pilot programs around the country to provide water assistance through bill assistance, a percent of income payment plan, rate reductions, hardship provisions, a lifeline rate, or utility debt relief. The bill has yet to be approved by the House of Representatives as of September 3rd, 2021.