One resource that will be available to Delano residents is the water bill assistance event that will be hosted by the Community Action Partnership of Kern (CAPK) in Delano today from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
This event will help individuals who are income-eligible in the community to afford their water bills. This is a free program for everyone whether you own or rent.
“This is an event specifically for those struggling to afford their water or wastewater bills in the community of Delano, and if you happen to fall into that category there is an opportunity to have that bill paid completely free. CAPK has an understanding that people can need a helping hand to reach their fullest potential, and we hope to have the community of Delano take advantage of this resource,” said Ernesto Leon, Outreach Specialist for CAPK.
The documents that people must bring are:
● Copy of valid picture I.D of the applicant
● Copy of Social Security card
● Most recent water bill
● The total household income for the past 3 days or CalFresh/CalWorks verification of benefits
“I really like when Delano holds these types of events where they help the community with lowering the cost of bills because a lot of us don’t know about these programs. There are a lot of different types of programs that a lot of low-income people can benefit from. It just takes organizations like CAPK coming to our city and helping us learn about them and helping us apply,” said Rodriguez.
According to the CAPK website, established by Congress in December 2020, the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP), helps low-income households pay down their residential water or wastewater bills. This new federal funding program offers a one-time benefit of up to $15,000 for bills accrued during any time frame. Eligibility for LIHWAP services can vary depending on income, availability of funding, water system participation, place of residence, and other factors.
Once an application is submitted, the application will be reviewed and water assistance is usually paid within 8 weeks directly to your water company.
“I will be taking my mom to this event because I know her water bill is sometimes high and I know that she qualifies because she is of low income, but since she is a bit older she doesn’t know about these types of programs and benefits. I encourage people to attend this event because it really does help you save money,” said Rojas.
This event will be at the City of Delano Civic Center 1009 11th Ave.
“This is meant to help people who are in of need utility assistance. It’s neighbors in our community who are struggling to keep the water running, and access to water is a necessity for families. CAPK’s mission is to provide resources such as this so that members of our community can be empowered to be self-sufficient,” said Leon.
To qualify for LIHWAP, your household income must be within the following guidelines:
| Persons in Household | Monthly Income |
| 1 | $2,700.17 |
| 2 | $3,531.00 |
| 3 | $4,361.83 |
| 4 | $5,192.75 |
| 5 | $6,023.59 |
| 6 | $6,854.43 |
| 7 | $7,010.21 |
| 8 | $7,010.21 |
| 9 | $7,321.78 |
| 10 | $7,477.56 |
*For families/households with more than 10 persons, add $155.78 for each additional person.