/ Services / Water, gas & utilities / Pay or dispute a water bill / Water bill customer assistance / Water Customer Assistance

CAP Test Site

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.

See example application and guidelines

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

You will need the following to apply. Do not send originals.

1. Water Access Code (found on your bill)
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You will need the 9-digit number in the upper right of any recent water bill (click the question mark for the example)
2. Two Proofs of Residency You will need TWO (2) different items from the bulleted list below.
Example: Many customers submit an ID with current address and two utility bills.
- Current government issued ID (like driver’s license or ID card) with current address.
- Voter registration card.
- Lease or TWO rent receipts from last six months.
- The following must be dated within the last six months and show the address where you live:
  - TWO Utility bills (like WRB, PGW, PECO, cable, internet, or phone) from TWO different months.
  - TWO Mortgage statements.
  - TWO Student loan billing statements.
  - TWO bank statements.
- 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 you are reporting zero 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)
4. If you are applying with a Special Hardship claim, you’ll need to submit some form of hardship documentation:
- 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.

Start your application

CAP Test Site

POSTAL MAIL

COMPLETE ONLINE

APPLY WITH IN-PERSON HELP*

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

Customer Support