Water Leak Assistance Program

Pasadena Water and Power is now offering the Water Leak Assistance Program; for qualifying residential and commercial customers who have experienced a bill increase due to excessive water loss from a leak on their property.

Program Description

Pasadena Water and Power (PWP) has ownership and maintenance responsibilities for the water distribution system up to and including the water meter. The point at which the customer's private property is connected to the water meter is the location at which responsibility transfers to the customer.  The customer or property owner is responsible for ensuring that all water structures on the owner's property are kept in good repair and free of leaks.

The Water Leak Assistance Program is intended to assist customers who have experienced water leaks on their property of which they could not be reasonably aware, resulting in excessive water loss that led to an increased utility bill. This program will provide a partial bill adjustment for those qualifying customers to provide financial assistance. Funding for this program is limited, and bill credits will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis until the annual funding limit of $50,000 is reached. Funding for this program is provided by a non-retail rates revenue source.

How to Qualify

Customers applying for the Water Leak Assistance Program must:

• Fill out an application;
• Have a current water service account in good standing;
• Make a "good faith" payment in an amount equal to an average bill for the same billing period the previous year;
• Occupy (and/or own) the property for which leak assistance is requested;
• Report the leak and apply for assistance within 30 days of the discovery and repair of the leak;
• Present a copy of a repair bill or material receipts, itemizing evidence of repairs;
• Have water usage at least two times greater than the average water use for a comparable billing period;
• Have a water leak that is due to failed water pipes, malfunctioning equipment, or other repairable cause on the property and NOT due to negligence;
• Have not received assistance through the Water Leak Assistance Program within the past 36 months.

All applications will be thoroughly reviewed by PWP's Customer Service team. PWP is not responsible for customer costs incurred to detect or repair a water leak on the customer's property. Click here to read the full Program Guidelines.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long do I have to apply for the Water Leak Assistance Program?

Customers have 30 days from the time the leak was detected and repaired in order to submit an application.  The leak must be repaired, and proof of repair work must be presented before an application can be approved.

2. Who can apply for this program?

Any PWP water customer, residential or commercial, that has an account in good standing can apply.

3. How much can I receive?

The bill credit will be determined by PWP, based on the estimated water loss and the existing rate structure. The credit is up to 50% of the excessive water loss when compared to actual water use during similar billing periods of the previous two years. The maximum credit is $3,000.

4. Will PWP repair the leak for me?

No, PWP is not responsible for the water system on a customer's property and will not repair leaks that are on private property. The Water Leak Assistance Program is a bill assistance program for customers who have already repaired the leak on their own property, but received a higher bill due to excessive water loss during the leak.

5. What do you mean the leak can't be caused by "negligence"?

The leak cannot have occurred due to the property owner's neglect of the water system. The bill credit will not apply to water loss for leaks that are reasonably detectable by the property owner or occupant. The leak must have been caused by malfunctioning equipment, failed water pipes or some other repairable plumbing issue that was not visible or noticeable through regular required maintenance.

6. How will I get paid?

PWP will provide a bill credit to the customer's account; no cash or check refund payments will be made. If the duration of the leak lasted more than one billing cycle, the usage during two billing cycles may be considered when calculating the amount of the adjustment credit.

7. Where does the funding for this program come from?

Funding for this program is provided on an annual basis, and comes from a non-retail rate revenue source. The maximum funding per year is $50,000 and customers are assisted on a first-come, first-served basis until the annual funding is fully expended.

8. What if my credit amount is not enough to cover the costs of the higher utility bill and the repair?

The Water Leak Assistance Program is intended to help customers in the event of a high water bill due to a leak; but is not intended to provide funding for any repair costs. The amount of bill credit provided will be up to 50% of the calculated water loss adjustment, not to exceed $3,000.

9. What if my application is denied?

If your application is denied, you can submit an appeal to the Assistant General Manager of the Water Division within 30 days of the date the application was denied. The decision of the Assistant General Manager on the appeal will be considered final, and no further appeals process will be available. Customers can mail their appeal to:

Attn. Appeal for Water Leak Assistance
Customer Care Team
Pasadena Water Dept.
150 S Los Robles, Suite 200
Pasadena, CA 91101