NEWS RELEASE

Atlanta – The City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management (DWM) continues to exemplify its slogan, ‘Here to Serve’, as they recently entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Georgia’s Department of Family and Children Services for the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP).

This federally funded program, created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in November 2021, provides payment assistance for eligible households that have an arrearage or past due water bill. It also assists households who are current on their account with a flat amount of $200 to $300 towards future bills. LIHWAP offers an additional layer of water bill assistance to DWM’s existing Care and Conserve Program, which also offers bill payment and plumbing assistance to qualifying City of Atlanta water and sewer customers.

LIHWAP is managed at the state level in coordination with 19 local community action agencies. The local provider for assistance is the Fulton Atlanta Community Action Authority (FACAA). “Our alliance with the Department of Family and Children Services and FACAA demonstrates our continued commitment to helping our customers who face difficulties paying for water, one of life’s most essential resources,” said DWM Commissioner Mikita Browning. “LIHWAP will help us reduce the burden of outstanding debt on the system and promote the most efficient use of our water resources.”

For more information about LIHWAP, contact FACAA at 404-320-6886 or visit www.facaa.org/programs. For more information about DWM’s Care and Conserve Water Bill Payment Assistance Program, call 404-546-3620 or visit www.atlantawatershed.org/care-andconserve.

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www.atlantawatershed.org