The city of Pendleton has partnered with the Community Action Program East Central Oregon (CAPECO) to expand water assistance, effective immediately.
The Low-Income Household Water Assistance program (LIHWA) is designed to help low-income households with water and wastewater bills. With federal funding administered through the state of Oregon, LIHWA assistance can cover water, sewer and stormwater charges, including reconnect and late fees, for eligible Oregonians. The assistance applies to the water portion of the city utility bill, and LIHWA funds cannot cover the street utility or public service fees. Households at or below 60 percent of the state medium income are eligible for the LIHWA assistance.
The LIHWA program builds upon Pendleton’s existing assistance programs. Through Resolution 2795, the city provides discounted rates for low/fixed income customers for water and sewer, as well as for the street utility fee and public safety fee. This program has two pieces:
- An annual one-time assistance of up to $175 for customers with incomes of less than or equal to 150 percent of the federal governmental poverty guidelines, which incorporates the number of people in the household. This program is administered through Helping Hand, a Pendleton office, and CAPECO in order to allow for income screening.
- A 15-percent discount is provided for the total of all utility charges for customers with an income less than or equal to 125 percent of federal poverty guidelines, which incorporates the number of people in the household. Income screening is repeated annually in the calendar fourth quarter.
The existing assistance program is administered through Helping Hand Pendleton Inc, a Pendleton nonprofit, and CAPECO, to allow for income screening. For more information about utility assistance programs, contact Helping Hand at 276-3418 or CAPECO at (541) 276-1926 or visit the CAPECO website.
