The City of Philadelphia has shared a new set of shutoff policies designed to make sure that residents who cannot pay bills will still have water services.

These new policies will be in effect as the City resumes residential shutoffs on July 20 after two years of a COVID-19 pandemic moratorium on residential shutoff.

The first shutoff notices will be mailed to customers on June 13.

New and expanded protections against service suspension include:

  • The level of delinquency that triggers a shutoff notice has been raised from $150 to $1,000.
  • Customers currently enrolled in the Tiered Assistance Program (TAP) are exempt from shutoff.
  • Customers currently enrolled in the Senior Citizen Discount program are exempt from shutoff.
  • Customers who have applied for Customer Assistance are exempt from shutoff.

Read more on the City’s blog.

In addition to suspending shutoffs, Philadelphia strengthened assistance programs over the last two years to include options like debt forgiveness and expanded payment agreements that make catching up easier.

These assistance programs are designed to help customers who are:

  • Low income.
  • Seniors.
  • Having a special hardship that makes it difficult to pay their water bills.

Anyone having trouble paying their water bill should apply for help.

A single application is used for all of the City’s water bill assistance programs. Customers can request an application or apply for assistance online or by calling (215) 685-6300.