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Iowa LIHEAP Policy and Procedures Manual 15.00 Crisis Assistance

Effective 09/01/2023

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Example: A statement shows $130 for all charges for the current month and $300 as an overall past due amount. For the current month $30 is for non-water services and $100 is for water services. $30 is 23% of $130, so to determine how much of the past due balance represents non-water services, take 23% of $300, which is $69. This is the amount of the past due balance LIHWAP cannot cover, leaving $231 of the past due balance that LIHWAP can cover. Add that to the current month's covered charges of $100 for a total LIHWAP payment of $331.

Free percentage calculator tool available at percentagecalculator.net.

For FY24, households may not receive more than 2 LIHWAP assistance payments in total (waivers can be requested at agency discretion)

15.81 Emergency Reconnect – Water Households currently experiencing a disconnection of water services are to receive a benefit in the amount needed to establish reconnection of service and pay arrears, up to the limit of $2,500. Email the state LIHEAP office a completed Energy/Water Crisis Expenditure Limit Waiver Request to exceed the expenditure limit. The form is maintained on the Members Only page of https://humanrights.iowa.gov/dcaa. NOTE: The use of waivers allows for the full payment of account balances of all water-related services rather than only amounts needed to ensure reconnection. For the benefit of households, and in line with the intentions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act and the American Rescue Plan Act’s COVID-19 response measures, the state encourages agencies to pay balances to zero unless it would result in a disallowed or inappropriate cost.

Payments are only authorized to be made directly to water service providers per federal regulations. Third party payments may be issued with state LIHEAP office approval. Direct pay to a household is not allowed under any circumstances. Payments may be made towards drinking and wastewater arrearages and any associated fees, taxes, and charges, with the exception of a diversion fee.

15.82 Service Continuity – Water Renter-Occupied Households Applicants who have a past due balance for water-related charges at the time of application can be considered to be at risk of disconnection, and can therefore be served using LIHWAP Service Continuity. Approved households are to receive a benefit in the amount needed to ensure disconnection is averted and to pay arrears, up to the limit of $2,500. Email the state LIHEAP office a completed Energy/Water Crisis Expenditure Limit Waiver Request to exceed the expenditure limit. The form is maintained on the Members Only page of https://humanrights.iowa.gov/dcaa. NOTE: The use of waivers allows for the full payment of account balances of all water-related services rather than only amounts needed to ensure service continuity. For the benefit of households, and in line with the intentions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act and the American Rescue Plan Act’s COVID-19 response measures, the state encourages agencies to pay balances to zero unless it would result in a disallowed or inappropriate cost.

Payments are only authorized to be made directly to water service providers per federal regulations. Third party payments may be issued with state LIHEAP office approval. Direct pay to a household is not allowed under any circumstances. Payments may be made towards drinking and wastewater arrearages and any associated fees, taxes, and charges, with the exception of a diversion fee. Renters whose water service charges are included in their rent will only be eligible if they can demonstrate that an event meeting the definition of water crisis is presently occurring where they reside (the location for which the rent is paid). In the case of such an event, agencies will need to work with the landlord to complete a Landlord Verification Form supplied by the state that will identify the data needed to resolve the crisis (address of crisis, amounts owed, payment history, etc.). By signing the form, the landlord also agrees that the amount of LIHWAP funds spent to resolve the crisis will be “paid forward” to the tenant through a rent reduction agreement between