Over the last year, we have been working hard with our partners across City government to prevent shutoffs and connect Philadelphia Water Department customers with an unprecedented level of financial support from the state and federal government.

Through the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) alone, Philadelphia water customers received nearly $13 million to pay off old bills as of October 2022. Created by the Pa. Department of Human Services using federal funds to help people impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, LIHWAP was a temporary program and just recently stopped accepting applications.

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t still some state funding.

For customers with utility bill debt who didn’t get funds from LIHWAP, there may still be help available through another state program called the Pa. Homeowner Assistance Fund, or PAHAF. Designed for homeowners, PAHAF can help with mortgage and tax debts as well as utility bills for qualifying customers. As of December 1, 2022, they were still accepting applications and had raised the cap of funds available per household.

If you had bills piling up over the last two years because of impacts from the pandemic, you could get up to $10,000 towards that debt—money that you don’t have to pay back. Customers applying for PAHAF funds from the state should also apply for the City’s customer assistance programs for water, which can help lock in a lower monthly bill, protect you from shutoff, and even eliminate debt.

Learn more about the City assistance options or call (215) 685-6300 to ask about an application.

Those interested in applying for PAHAF can do so online or by calling (888) 987-2423.

Apply for PAHAF

In-Person PAHAF Help

For in-person help with a PAHAF application in Philadelphia, reach out to these organizations:

Affordable Housing Centers of Pa.

846 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130
www.ahcopa.org

Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha, Inc.

1900 North 9th St, Philadelphia, PA 19122
www.apmphila.org

Center in the Park

5818 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144
www.centerinthepark.org

Clarifi

1635 Market Street, Suite 510, Philadelphia, PA 19103
www.clarifi.org

Congreso De Latinos Unidos, Inc.

216 West Somerset Street, Philadelphia, PA 19133
www.congreso.net

Grace Neighborhood Development Corporation

5221 Oxford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19124
www.gndchca.com

Greater Phila. Asian Social Service Center

4943 North 5th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19120
www.gpasspa.org

HACE F/K/A Hispanic Association of Contractors and Enterprises

167 West Allegheny Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19140
www.hacecdc.org

Intercultural Family Services, Inc.

4225 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
www.ifsinc.org

Liberty Resources

112 North 8th Street, Suite 600, Philadelphia, PA 19106
www.libertyresources.org

Mt. Airy CDC

6703 Germantown Avenue, Suite 200, Philadelphia, PA 19119
www.mtairycdc.org

New Kensington Community Development Corp.

2771 Ruth Street, Suite 1, Philadelphia, PA 19134
www.nkcdc.org

Norris Square Community Alliance

174 Diamond Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122
www.nscaphila.org

Northwest Counseling Service, Inc.

6521 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19126
www.nwcsinc.org

Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation

301-305 North 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
chinatown-pcdc.org

Philadelphia Council for Community Advancement

2042-48 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
www.pccahousing.org

Southwest Community Development Corporation

6328 Paschall Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19142
southwestcdc.org

Unemployment Information Center

112 North Broad Street; 11th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19102
www.philaup.org

United Communities Southeast Philadelphia

2029 South 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148
www.ucsep.org

Urban League of Philadelphia

121 South Broad St; 10th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107
www.urbanleaguephila.org

West Oak Lane Community Development Corporation

1624 East Wadsworth Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19150
www.westoaklanecdc.org