Water Customer Assistance

We use a single application for all water bill assistance programs, including the Senior Citizen Discount and the Tiered Assistance Program (TAP). If your income is too high for those programs, a Special Hardship can make you eligible for TAP. Customers in TAP can work toward Debt Forgiveness.

Payment agreements can also help make your bill more manageable.

Fill out one application, and we’ll let you know which program offers the lowest bill.

If you have experienced job loss or difficulty paying your bills as a result of COVID‑19, please apply for customer assistance.

POSTAL MAIL

Fill out the first part of the application online or you may call (215) 685-6300 to request an application be mailed to you.

You have 14 days from when you request the application to when you must return it. You will also need to make photocopies of documents to send back with the application.

COMPLETE ONLINE

The application takes most people about an hour to complete. You can complete the application in one sitting or save your progress and complete the application later. To save your progress you will need to provide a valid email address where we can send your application id.

Be sure you have every document you’ll need and access to a scanner or a camera (like the one on your phone) so you can submit your documents electronically.

APPLY WITH IN-PERSON HELP*

Use our interactive map to find locations throughout the city that can help you start or complete an application, or answer questions. Call ahead, and plan to bring copies of all the items from the checklist with you.

* In-person help is limited due to the COVID‑19 pandemic. Contact each location to confirm options for getting help with your application, and please follow all safety guidelines.

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

Here’s what you’ll need to gather in order to fill out this application

• 1. Applicant & Household Info We’ll ask for names, birth dates, and monthly income amounts for household members, including the applicant. We also ask for Social Security or tax ID numbers, though they are not required.
• 2. Proof of Residency You will need ONE (1) item from the bulleted list below
  • Current government issued ID (like driver’s license or ID card) with current address
  • Voter registration card
  • Current lease or rent receipt (receipt must be from within the last 12 months)
  • Must show address where you live and be dated within the last 12 months:
    • Utility bill (like PGW, PECO, cable, internet, or phone)
    • Student loan billing statement
    • Bank statement
    • Any of the Income Documentation types below, except for income support form
    • 3. Household Income Documentation For EACH source of income in the household, you will need ONE of the following, dated in the last 12 months. If your household has no income, we will ask about how you pay for living expenses in Attachment B.
      • Prior year’s federal income tax return or W-2
      • Pay stubs
      • Benefit award letter or statement (such as unemployment compensation printout, workers’ compensation award, Social Security, pension, or welfare benefits)
      • Income support form (Attachment A)
      • Termination letter to prove job loss
      • Hospital admission or discharge documents to prove serious illness
      • Birth or adoption certificate to show household size increase
      • Death certificate to prove the death of main income earner
      • Safe harbor documents to show shelter admission due to abuse
      • Copies of most recent bills, including utilities, medical, or childcare to show high household expenses or medical bills

      Customer Support

      For application-related questions, please email watercap@phila.gov

      Note: application materials cannot be submitted over email.