Our assistance programs are designed to provide financial relief for income-qualified residential customers who are having difficulty paying their water, sewer, and stormwater bill.
How to Sign Up

Apply Online or by calling PGH2O Cares
Apply for the Bill Discount Program, Winter Shut Off Moratorium, and Lead Service Line Replacement Reimbursement online by completing an application.
You can review the income eligibility chart at the bottom of the page to determine if you are eligible. If you are not sure if you are eligible, you can apply over the phone by contacting our PGH2O Cares team at 412-255-2457 or cares@pgh2o.com.
Available Programs
Bill Discount Program
More than 6,000 income-eligible customers are enrolled in the Bill Discount Program and there are still many more people we can help. Customers earning an annual income that is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) are eligible. If this program can help you or someone you know, please contact us today. It can substantially reduce your monthly PGH2O bill.
- Provides eligible customers with a 100% discount on the fixed monthly drinking and wastewater conveyance charges. This is a savings of approximately $35.09 per month.
- An additional 50% discount on the volumetric charges (the usage charges over the monthly minimum charge) for customers earning an annual income that is at or below 50% of the FPL.
- 85% reduction on the new stormwater fee.
- A monthly $30 credit to reduce past due balances. Customers must be enrolled in the Bill Discount Program, on an active payment plan, and make on-time payments to receive this benefit.
- All verified low-income customers will automatically be enrolled in the Winter Shut Off Moratorium.
- Enrollment is applicable for 2 years.
The Bill Discount Program applies to renters when the tenant is the responsible billing party. If a landlord is the responsible billing party, their tenants may not be considered because the property is income generating or is possibly used for commercial purposes.
Line Repair and Conservation Pilot Program
Fix Home Plumbing Leaks!
Available for income-eligible, drinking water customers, the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority is offering a first-of-its-kind pilot program in our region. With the help of a professional plumber, residential customers can repair plumbing leaks, upgrade several fixtures to modern, water saving devices, and learn to conserve water at home. Repairs available through this pilot program include:
- Leak repair on exposed plumbing
- Replacement of failing showerheads with low-flow devices
- Replacement of failing toilets with water-saving models
- Installation of two faucet aerators
All exposed plumbing repairs and device installations provided through the program come with a one-year warranty, and work at each property is capped at a total of $1,356.
Customers will also receive education on home water conservation strategies and guidance on enrolling in PWSA’s Customer Advantage portal, which provides water usage monitoring and leak detection alerts.
Click here to download an application. Return form to cares@pgh2o.com. If you need help filling out the form, please call PGH2O Cares at 412-255-2457.
Flexible Payment Plans
We offer income-based payment arrangements to help customers pay down high balances without accruing penalties and interest. We also offer special payment arrangements for small business owners. To sign up for a payment arrangement, please call Customer Service at 412-255-2423 (Press 5) or PGH2O Cares at 412-255-2457.
If you are on an active payment plan and enrolled in our Bill Discount Program, please see Arrearage Forgiveness below.
Arrearage Forgiveness
Pay down past due balances faster! A $30 monthly credit is available for each on-time payment for customers who are on an active payment plan and enrolled in the Bill Discount Program.
If you are enrolled in the Bill Discount Program and a payment arrangement, and not past due on the payment arrangement, you will automatically receive the arrearage forgiveness credits.
Rights of Domestic Violence Victims
Special protections are available for any applicant or customer who provides the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) with a copy of a Protection From Abuse (PFA) court order or any other court order that contains clear evidence of domestic violence. Review our Domestic Violence Victims' Rights flyer for more information about these protections.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, the Women's Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh (WC&S) provides free and confidential services for all domestic violence victims regardless of race, gender, sexual identity or other factor.
Hardship Grant
This program provides cash grants up to $300 per year for customers at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level. Grants are now available to PWSA’s sewage-only customers to apply to past due wastewater charges. No sincere effort of payment is required to receive this grant.
We have currently distributed more than $200,000 through the program and have helped more than 872 Pittsburgh households maintain essential water services.
To apply for a Hardship Grant, contact a Dollar Energy Fund partnering agency. Agencies can be found using the Agency Finder.
Winter Shut Off Moratorium

This program provides qualifying customers with the assurance that their water will not be shut off from December 1 through March 31 if they are unable to pay their bill. The Winter Shut Off Moratorium is available to single-family residential customers earning an annual income that is at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level.
Even if approved, customers are expected to pay their water and sewer bills. Payment arrangements may be offered. Please call Customer Service to make those arrangements at 412-255-2423 (Press 5).
Do You Have Steam Heat? Let Us Know!
Customers with steam heating systems cannot have their water service terminated during winter months. If your property relies on steam heat, please email us at steamheat@pgh2o.com or call 412-255-2423.
Registering your account will prevent service terminations due to non-payment from December 1 to March 31. You do not have to be income-qualified.
Community Lead Response
Community Lead Response is an initiative of the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority dedicated to improving water quality replacing lead water service lines throughout the City of Pittsburgh, and Millvale. As part of Community Lead Response, PWSA will assist customers with the cost of private lead service line replacement if customers choose to proactively hire a plumber and complete the work. Visit our lead site at lead.pgh2o.com for more information.
PGH2O Cares
Our PGH2O Cares team is a group of education and outreach professionals dedicated to working directly with our most vulnerable customers to bolster enrollment in our customer assistance programs and identify ways to reduce water usage.
Learn more on our PGH2O Cares webpage.
Additional Assistance Programs
Visit our Additional Assistance Programs webpage to learn more about the ALCOSAN Clean Water Assistance Fund and Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP).
2023 Annual Income Guidelines