The City of Salisbury has announced a new Water Incentive Program (WIN) for City residents, which provides financial relief for City water and/or sewer bills. Applicants for WIN may be eligible for one-time annual payment in assistance of up to $2,000.
“We are happy to have the ability to assist our residents with their bills, especially during a time when many families are struggling to make ends meet,” says Mayor Jake Day. “The COVID pandemic has brought many financial issues to the surface for our residents across the board. Between bills, healthcare, and rising costs of living, there are more expenses for families to take into account than ever before. If we can take any of that weight off of their shoulders, we want to do that.”
Originally called the Mayor’s Hardship Program, the Water Incentive Program was included and approved as part of the City’s FY2022 budget. WIN is similar to a program from the State of Maryland called the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP), which WIN applicants and recipients are also eligible to receive.
To qualify for the WIN program, residents must live at the property for which assistance is being provided, submit their most recent water and/or sewer bill, and meet monthly gross income requirements, which are detailed in the application. The requirements for the WIN program are similar to other relief programs in the area, but typically these programs only provide assistance to tenants, not homeowners.
“Opening WIN to homeowners is a game-changer,” says Mayor Day. “As our city grows, it’s very important that our programs keep up with our rising population and can match up to our new housing initiatives.”
To apply for the WIN program, please visit salisbury.md/WIN. Hard copies of the application are available in the Finance office in the Government Office Building at 125 N. Division Street #103, Salisbury, MD 21801. With any questions, please call the Finance office at 410-548-3115.