Low Income Program

Sometimes customers face circumstances that stretch their financial resources. New Jersey American Water is here to assist. Our customer service representatives will work with you on a plan to pay the balance of the bill over time. You may also be qualified to receive assistance through our H2O Help to Others Program™.

Payment Arrangements

If you cannot pay your bill by the due date, please contact our customer service center immediately, before the due date. Our customer service representatives are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They will work with you to determine payment plan options that may be available.

These payment arrangements may require you to:

• Pay at least 25% of your bill within 48 hours of your call
• Pay the rest of the bill according to an agreed upon schedule
• Pay all future bills as they become due
• Only customers who have not broken similar agreements in the past twelve months are eligible to make these payment arrangements

Customers whose accounts begin with the number “18,” should call 1-800-652-6987.

Customers whose accounts begin with the numbers “52,”or “53,” should call 1-800-272-1325

H2O Help to Others Program™: Assisting customers who need it most

For more than eight years, New Jersey American Water has been assisting low-income customers who qualify through its H2O Help to Others Program™. There are three main components of the program:

• Grants: Customers who qualify may receive a grant of up to $500 to help pay their water bill. A grant from this program may not cover a recipient‘s entire water bill. In some cases, recipients must pay a portion of their bill based on their income. In 2010, the company provided more than $170,000 in assistance grants to 609 households. The program’s grant monies are funded through a corporate match (up to a total of $25,000) of customer and employee donations.
• Service Charge Discount: Customers who qualify may also receive a 100% discount on their monthly fixed service charge for water. At December 2010, we had 560 customers enrolled in this program.
• Water-saving programs and education: New Jersey American Water will be launching additional programs for customers this year that will help them reduce their water use. These will include:
  • Comprehensive water audits by phone
  • Free water-saving retrofit kits
  • Up to $300 for in-home leak repairs and the installation of water-efficient devices

To qualify for the H2O program, customers must have annual incomes at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty guidelines, as provided in the chart below. For additional qualification requirements, customers can contact New Jersey SHARES, New Jersey American Water’s program administrator.

Monthly Income Guidelines for the H₂0™ Grants

How You Can Help

New Jersey American Water customers who wish to contribute to the H2O Help to Others Program™ can do so by adding a donation to their monthly New Jersey American Water bill payment. Donations can be made as a one-time gift or a monthly donation of $1, $3 or $5. You can be assured that 100 percent of your donation and our matching funds go directly to qualifying customers. Our company assumes all administrative costs for this program so that every penny you donate goes directly to this worthwhile cause.

For More Information

The H₂0 Grants and Discounts are administered by NJShares, which is an independent, non-profit organization established to help those in need pay their utility bills. For more information, or to see if you qualify for these programs, contact NJShares toll-free at 1-877-652-9426 (1-877-NJAWH2O).

Other Utility Assistance Programs in New Jersey

In addition to New Jersey American Water’s H2O Help to Others Program, there are a number of energy and heating bill assistance programs and government programs for those who qualify. For a full list of programs, New Jersey residents can search the online database at www.nj211.org or view a listing of their energy programs. Customers may also dial “2-1-1” 24 hours a day, seven days a week for help in finding available assistance services.