Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Company, stakeholders celebrate helping others
Pennsylvania American Water marks 25th anniversary of helping low-income families
Pennsylvania American Water celebrated its 25th anniversary of “Help to Others Program.”
Pennsylvania American Water celebrated its 25th anniversary of “Help to Others Program.”
Also known as the H2O Program, it has provided millions of dollars in assistance to low-income families across the Commonwealth, according to Pennsylvania American Water. The program has helped more than 17,000 customers with free water-saving devices, advice and plumbing repairs since 1991.
“The H2O Program is unique and a leader among water utilities in Pennsylvania when talking about low-income assistance programs for water and wastewater customers,” Pennsylvania American Water Operations Superintendent Brian Hassinger said in a news release. “Our program was the first its kind to be launched by a water utility in the United States.”
Pennsylvania American Water has a plant in South Coatesville. It serves approximately 6,000 customers in Coatesville, South Coatesville, East Fallowfield, Caln, West Caln, Valley, Sadsbury, West Sadsbury, Highland, West Brandywine and Parkesburg.
The company noted that representatives from Coatesville, West Caln and Brandywine Health Foundation were among the local stakeholders who attended the ceremony and luncheon at the Brandywine Center in West Whiteland to mark the anniversary on Oct. 27.
Administered by Dollar Energy Fund, the Help to Others Program has distributed more than $3.8 million in assistance grants across the Commonwealth since its inception. Pennsylvania American Water said it extended the assistance program in 2013 to include its wastewater customers and has provided $60,000 in grants to 165 households.
When it launched the program 25 years ago, Pennsylvania American Water agreed to provide assistance to low-income customers without a mandate from Pennsylvania’s Public Utility Commission (PUC) and voluntarily chose to participate in the Dollar Energy Fund. During the ceremony, Hassinger read a proclamation from the PUC congratulating the company on the anniversary of “its successful, voluntary low-income water assistance program.”
“We are very proud to have a long-standing relationship with Pennsylvania American Water,” said Mary Sally, customer service coordinator for Dollar Energy Fund. “For 25 years, our partnership with the H2O Program has offered valuable assistance to thousands of disadvantaged families, enabling them to keep their water flowing. Pennsylvania American Water is a true example of a company that cares, as they led the way to develop this type of program for low-income customers.”
Dollar Energy Fund noted it has provided $131 million in utility assistance grants to more than 470,000 low-income families and individuals since 1983. The organization also assists limited-income households in 11 states.
According to Pennsylvania American Water, the H2O Program has a threefold approach to assistance, including hardship grants, monthly service charge discounts and free water-saving devices and advice on how to use water more efficiently.
Pennsylvania American Water has also engaged its statewide customer base in the program by providing the opportunity to add a donation of one dollar or more to their monthly water bill. The company matches those donations up to $250,000 per year. Pennsylvania American Water said for more information, or for customers to see if they qualify for these program, contact Dollar Energy Fund toll-free at 1-888282-6816.
Pennsylvania American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the largest investor-owned water utility in Pennsylvania, providing water and wastewater services to approximately 2.3 million people. Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company.
For more information, visit www.amwater.com.
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