Water Sector News
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What Cleveland can learn from how San Antonio helps low-income residents with water bills
May 10, 2022
https://www.freshwatercleveland.com/features/SanAntoniaWaterPartthree050922.aspx
It might seem counterintuitive when programs that give people with low incomes a discount on their utility bills don’t have 100% enrollment. These programs are money-savers, after all. Who wouldn’t want that?
But in fact, it’s rare to have even a majority of eligible customers enrolled in these programs, according to Manny Teodoro, an associate professor of public affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Teodoro is one of the few researchers in the U.S. who studies water-bill discount programs and water affordability.
“The most famous utility assistance program in the country is LIHEAP,” says Teodoro, referring to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. “It’s been around for over 40 years now and historically it’s had an average participation rate of 16%.”
In contrast, the San Antonio Water System has almost 50% enrollment of eligible customers in its mainline discount program. It’s a substantial achievement worth exploring, especially considering that most of Cleveland and Philadelphia’s water discount programs don’t have enrollments close to that number.
It might seem counterintuitive when programs that give people with low incomes a discount on their utility bills don’t have 100% enrollment. These programs are money-savers, after all. Who wouldn’t want that?
But in fact, it’s rare to have even a majority of eligible customers enrolled in these programs, according to Manny Teodoro, an associate professor of public affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Teodoro is one of the few researchers in the U.S. who studies water-bill discount programs and water affordability.
“The most famous utility assistance program in the country is LIHEAP,” says Teodoro, referring to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. “It’s been around for over 40 years now and historically it’s had an average participation rate of 16%.”
In contrast, the San Antonio Water System has almost 50% enrollment of eligible customers in its mainline discount program. It’s a substantial achievement worth exploring, especially considering that most of Cleveland and Philadelphia’s water discount programs don’t have enrollments close to that number.