State and Local Help for Paying Water Bills in Flint MI

If you're struggling to pay your water bill in Flint, MI, there are resources available to help. The city of Flint has a Water Bill Assistance Program that provides financial assistance to eligible residents.

The program is administered by the Genesee County United Way and offers up to $150 in assistance per year. You can apply for the program by contacting the Genesee County United Way at (810) 232-8121.

Additionally, the city of Flint has partnered with the United Way to offer a Water Bill Payment Plan that allows residents to make payments over time. This plan can help you avoid late fees and penalties.

The Genesee County Treasurer's Office also offers a payment plan for water bills, which can be set up by contacting their office at (810) 257-3060.

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Flint residents can breathe a sigh of relief as they can now apply for WRAP assistance every Thursday.

To be eligible, residents must have a household income at or below 150% of the federal poverty level, which is a crucial factor in determining WRAP assistance.

The City of Flint has partnered with the Genesee County Treasurer's office to make this process easier for residents.

Every Thursday, residents can visit the Genesee County Treasurer's office to apply for WRAP assistance in person.

Applicants will need to provide proof of income, residency, and other required documents to complete the application process.

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Michigan has approved $30 million to help pay about 65 percent of Flint residents' drinkable water portion of their bills. This is a significant relief for residents who have been paying some of the highest water rates in the nation while drinking tainted water.

The state is also providing a grant of $2 million to help replace some of Flint's lead pipes, with the goal of replacing pipes in several hundred homes. This project will start with priority lead lines.

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The new funding is a step towards fixing the city's broken water system, which was contaminated with lead after the city used water from the Flint River for 18 months without reducing corrosiveness. This led to lead leaching from old home plumbing, causing developmental delays and learning disabilities in children.

The state of Michigan will pay all Flint water bills in May to encourage the flushing of lead from old pipes and the recoating of plumbing with a corrosion chemical. This means that residents won't have to pay for water used during this period.

The state already covers roughly two-thirds of the water portion of the bill, but this extra funding will make May a "free water month" for residents. This is estimated to cost the state $1.7 million, depending on participation.

Flint's Mayor Karen Weaver has committed to replacing thousands of lead services lines that connect water mains to homes and businesses, with the state allocating at least $2 million for the initiative.

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