Low-income Households Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP)

What is LIWEAP?

The Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) is a federally funded grant program created by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law No: 116-260) and the American Rescue Plan of 2021. The program aims to assist low-income households with water and wastewater bills.

Tennessee Housing Development Agency received over $25 million to administer LIHWAP across the state. In Tennessee, the LIHWAP is administered through a network of 19 local agencies that reach all 95 counties.

The purpose of the LIHWAP funds is to restore or prevent disconnections of water services to eligible households, by providing funds directly to the utility company, operators of public water systems or treatment works, to bring the household’s account current and help reduce the water and wastewater burden by assisting with current bills. LIHWAP is a one-time assistance that serves three priority groups:

THDA LIHWAP provides relief assistance to three priority groups:

• Households with pending disconnections or disconnected water services and/or wastewater services, or
• Households with a past due bill for water services and/or wastewater services, or
• Households who are at risk of falling behind on their water services and/or wastewater services

LIHWAP assistance does not go directly to the client or applicant; rather direct payments are made through the LIWEAP agency to the local utility company or energy supplier.

Application Process

Applicants must meet income eligibility. Income eligible households are those at or below 60% of the State Median Income. See our chart of household income limits below to see if you are eligible.

2021 Income Guidelines:

Use this table to determine if your household can potentially qualify for LIHWAP Assistance:

The application, along with all necessary verifications, must be submitted through the designated LIWAP agency in the applicant's county of residence.

For more information or further assistance with the application process, please contact your local LIWAP agency. A list of each agency and the county they serve is available below.

You may also use the locator map by clicking the blue button at the bottom of the page.

LIHWAP Administrating Agencies:

Blount County Community Action Agency, Inc
(865) 983-8411 Serving: Blount Co.

Bradley-Cleveland CSA
(423) 479-4111 Serving: Bradley Co.

Chattanooga Youth and Family Development
(423) 643-6434 Serving: Hamilton Co.

Clarksville-Montgomery County CAC
(931) 896-1800 Serving: Montgomery Co.

Delta Human Resources Agency
(901) 476-5226
Serving: Fayette, Lauderdale, and Tipton counties

Douglas-Cherokee Economic Authority, Inc.
(423) 587-4500
Serving: Cocke, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Monroe, and Sevier counties

East Tennessee Human Resource Agency (ETHRA)
(865) 691-2551
Serving: Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Morgan, Scott, and Union counties

Highland Rim Economic Corporation
(931) 289-4101 Serving: Dickson, Houston, Humphreys, and Stewart counties

Knoxville-Knox County CAC
(865) 546-3500 Serving: Knox Co.

Metropolitan Action Commission
(615) 862-8860 Serving: Davidson Co.

Mid-Cumberland CAC
(615) 742-1113
Serving: Cheatham, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Trousdale, Williamson, and Wilson counties

Mid-East Community Action Agency
(865) 354-0450 Serving: Loudon and Roane counties

Northwest TN Economic Development Council
(731) 364-3228
Serving: Benton, Carroll, Crockett, Dyer, Gibson, Henry, Lake, Obion, and Weakley counties

Shelby County CSA
(901) 222-4315 Serving: Shelby Co.

South Central HRA
(931) 433-7182
Serving: Bedford, Coffee, Franklin, Giles, Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Marshall, Maury, Moore, Perry, and Wayne counties

Southeast Tennessee HRA
(423) 949-2191
Serving: Bledsoe, Grundy, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Polk, Rhea, and Sequatchie counties

Southwest HRA
(731) 989-5111
Serving: Chester, Decatur, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, and McNairy counties

Upper Cumberland HRA
(931) 528-1127
Serving: Cannon, Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Smith, Van Buren, Warren, and White counties

Upper East Tennessee HDA
(423) 246-6180
Serving: Carter, Greene, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington counties

Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) 2021 State Plan

Program contact: Water@thda.org

THDA Program staff:
Housing Program Coordinator - Dani Brickman - Email: DBrickman@thda.org
Housing Program Manager - Semoine Pearson - Email: SPearson@thda.org