NYACK, NY (September 15, 2024) — As part of its current four-year rate plan, Veolia North America is offering New York State’s first-ever Water Affordability Program to assist its most financially vulnerable water utility customers in New York. Under this new program, qualified residential customers will be able to access bill discounts of up to 25% with additional benefits that include boosted rebates on certain water-saving appliances.
Veolia’s Affordability Program is designed to create a financial cushion for customers who are facing a hardship that could prevent their ability to stay current on paying their basic expenses. It offers a lifeline to families that find themselves in financial distress, and is also structured to help customers access assistance before their unpaid bills become a family crisis.
“Losing a job, raising a family, unexpected medical bills. There are so many reasons we can find ourselves behind on affording basic services. That’s why we want to make sure we provide as much access as possible to the assistance customers need, when they need it most,” said Chris Graziano, Regional President of Veolia’s New York operations and chairperson of the New York Chapter of the National Association of Water Companies.
Veolia’s residential customers who previously received benefits under the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) will automatically be enrolled for the first year. Customers are also eligible for the program if they participated in another utility affordability program in the last 12 months or received assistance through qualifying government programs, including:
- Supplemental Security Income
- Temporary Assistance to Needy Persons/Families
- Safety Net Assistance
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
- Federal Public Housing Assistance
- Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit
- Federal Lifeline Program
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- Tribal Head Start
- Tribal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservation
- Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
“Without question, these last few years have been difficult for families trying to make ends meet and I thank Veolia for creating this program to provide residents some much-needed fiscal relief on their water bills,” said Ed Day, Rockland County Executive. “I encourage all eligible residents to apply and take advantage of this 25% discount.”
Veolia received permission from the New York State Public Service Commission (NYSPSC) to extend the program across its New York utility service territory, which covers over 500,000 residents in Rockland, Westchester, Orange, Putnam and Tioga counties.
Local United Way executives say their organizations will assist in spreading the word, emphasizing the need for assistance programs focused on expanding access to essential services.
“Between Westchester and Rockland, there are 52,055 households living in poverty and 130,620 ALICE households who are living paycheck to paycheck and barely surviving. This program is vital so our neighbors do not need to decide between getting food or affording water,” said Steve Papas, United Way of Rockland County’s President and CEO.
“The United Way of Westchester and Putnam knows that help with basic utilities continues to be one of the most sought after needs of people calling our 211 Helpline. That’s why we’re delighted to support Veolia and their first-in-the-nation effort to provide real economic assistance to thousands of Westchester and Rockland families by helping them manage their water and sewer bills.” said Tom Gabriel, United Way of Westchester and Putnam’s President and CEO.
Veolia’s Water Affordability Program is being administered by NJ Shares. Customers who believe they qualify for the program are encouraged to enroll by contacting NJ Shares (Mon.- Fri.; 8:30am – 5:30pm):
apply.njsharesgreen.org
info@njshares.org
(866) 657-4273
All customers who participate in Veolia’s Water Affordability Program, including those who were automatically enrolled, will need to reapply annually to continue to receive benefits. Additional information about this program is available at mywater.veolia.us/nyaffordwater.