Governor Wes Moore has announced $20 million in funding to support Maryland residents who have water bill debt related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The assistance will be provided through 19 water systems that applied for and were awarded funding from the Water Assistance Relief Program.
According to Governor Moore, the COVID-19 pandemic placed enormous financial strain on Maryland families, especially low-income households. He stated that the investment was part of the state’s commitment to delivering an equitable recovery that helps all communities bounce back.
As a condition of receiving program funding, water systems have agreed to allocate payments as bill credits to customer accounts and waive late fees and interest penalties. The credits will cover outstanding water debt accrued between January 2020 and September 2022.
The funding will benefit 30,000 or more families across all regions of Maryland. The program requirements and additional information may be found on the Department of Budget and Management website.
The relief funding is part of Maryland’s State and Local Fiscal Relief Fund award under the American Rescue Plan Act. In addition to this, the Maryland Department of Human Services was previously allocated $14 million from the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program to support families with water assistance debt.
Maryland Water As??sistance Relief Program
Baltimore C?ity DPW 15,871,159 Town of Boonsbor???o 1,984 Calvert County Government 25,000 Cecil County Government 94,181 Town of Centreville 25,000 Town of Charlestown 25,000 Easton Utilities 14,680 City of Hagerstown 50,983 Harford County Maryland 25,000 Howard County Government 25,000 Town of Luke 2,340 Maryland Environmental Service 2,988 Town of Rockhall 3,802 Somerset County Sanitary District 14,156 Town of Sudlersville 25,000 Town of Thurmont 25,000 Town of Walkersville 25,000 Town of Sudlersville 25,000 Town of Thurmont 25,000 Town of Walkersville 1,380 Town of Williamsport 11,337 Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission 3,756,009
Applications for assistance may be found through the Maryland Department of Human Services website. The relief funds are hoped to help ease the financial burden on families affected by the pandemic and help them recover from the economic fallout.
Maryland is not the only state to provide assistance to families struggling with water bills. In Pennsylvania, the Public Utility Commission has extended a moratorium on water shutoffs for non-payment through May 31, 2023, to help low-income households struggling with bills. Additionally, the state has allocated $96 million in federal funds to provide assistance to families struggling with water and wastewater bills.
In California, Governor Gavin Newsom has recently signed a bill to provide $2 billion in funding to help low-income households pay overdue water bills. The funding will be provided over the next five years, and it is hoped that it will help prevent water shutoffs for struggling households.
Water bill debt relief programs like those in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and California are critical to help families recover from the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. With more households struggling to pay bills due to job loss, reduced income, and other financial hardships, it is essential to provide financial assistance to those who need it the most.
For more information on the Water Assistance Program in Maryland, please visit the Maryland Department of Budget and Management’s website.
