Austin Water Expands Affordability Initiatives To Include Multi-Family Customer Assistance

Press release from the City of Austin:

May 24, 2021

AUSTIN – Building on an increasing portfolio of affordability measures, Austin Water announced that effective immediately, low income and vulnerable Austinites living in apartments and other multi-family dwellings will see a new credit on their monthly utility bill. The credit is designed to offset a portion of their monthly water and wastewater services. Eligible participants will automatically receive a maximum $200 a year credit, which will appear on monthly billing statements as the Austin Water Multi-Family CAP Program Discount.

“The new Austin Water Multi-Family CAP program allows us to reach vulnerable customers who do not have a dedicated water meter, but nevertheless, pay for monthly water service,” said Christina Romero, Financial Manager at Austin Water. “This program offers a safety net to thousands of customers who have traditionally been ineligible for Austin Water financial assistance through the Customer Assistance Program (CAP).”

Customers in the first-phase of this program include those who:

• Reside in an apartment complex or other multifamily dwelling that receives services from Austin Water.
• Receive financial assistance from Austin Energy with their electric utility bill through the CAP program.

A second implementation phase will begin later this year to assist a small fraction of customers in outlying areas around Austin who receive water service from Austin Water, but are not Austin Energy customers.

For more information and a complete list of the ways City of Austin offers customers financial assistance, customers are encouraged to visit coautilities.com/go/cap.

This press release was produced by the City of Austin. The views expressed here are the author’s own.