CCWD Delivers $147,000 in State-Funded Assistance to Customers Facing Financial Hardships during Covid-19

San Andreas, CA. May 27, 2022 – Calaveras County Water District (CCWD) received $147,000 to assist over 250 qualified water customers who faced financial hardships during Covid-19. The State Water Resources Control Board created a new program to provide relief for Californians with unpaid bills related to the pandemic. This funding covered water debt accrued by residential and commercial customers between March 4, 2020, and June 15, 2021. Staff at CCWD applied for this funding opportunity on behalf of its customers in 2021 and worked closely with the Water Board to make sure the program guidelines would meet financial and auditing requirements for special districts like CCWD.

CCWD has also applied for funding to assist wastewater and additional water customers through California’s Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP), administered by the California Department of Community Services and Development. LIHWAP is a customer-based program where qualified, low-income households can apply to their Local Service Provider to receive a one-time credit (up to $2,000) on their water and wastewater bill. CCWD is collaborating with Amador Tuolumne Community Action Agency (ATCAA), who is our community’s Local Service Provider.

The Covid-19 pandemic made it harder for many Californians to pay their bills due to job loss and other hardships. Water agencies generally don’t have the ability to provide direct relief from water and sewer rates, but a unique opportunity was available in this case for those in our communities who have faced financial hardships through this difficult time.

For more information on the LIHWAP program, please visit: https://www.csd.ca.gov/lihwap.