Since March 2020, the U.S. Federal government has passed coronavirus relief and stimulus bills that funded various programs. Some of the programs can assist residents or businesses in paying their water or wastewater bills in certain circumstances. The federal coronavirus relief funding thus provide an influx of funds that can provide financial relief to afflicted water and wastewater customers.
These factsheets summarize how the following federal coronavirus relief programs may or are being used at least partially to provide water/wastewater bill payment assistance:
- From the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, signed in March 2020:
- The Coronavirus Relief Fund (CARES Act assistance for State, Local, and Tribal Governments)
- Community Development Block Grant CARES Act (CDBG-CV)
- Emergency Solutions Grant CARES Act (ESG-CV)
- Small Business Paycheck Protection Program
- From the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, signed in December 2020:
- Low-Income Household Drinking Water and Wastewater Emergency Assistance Program
- Emergency Rental Assistance Program
This document will be updated over time as more information becomes available. Latest update: February 19, 2021.
For more reading: a blog post about Water Bill Payment Assistance in Multiple Federal Coronavirus Relief Programs (Feb 22, 2021).
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