California American Water Hardship Program

California American Water’s Hardship Program provides one-time assistance grants to customers that are applied directly to their utility bill. Program guidelines and eligibility requirements are subject to change.

Program Dates

Open from November 3, 2025, through September 30, 2026, for services that are off or in threat of termination.

Grants are dispersed on a first come, first serve basis to eligible applicants while funding is available.

Balance Requirement

Applicants must have an outstanding balance on their utility bill of at least $100.

Maximum Grant

The maximum grant amount an applicant may receive is $750.

Applicants can only receive one grant per utility, per program year. (10/1/2025 – 9/30/2026)

Grant awards are based on need and each family’s circumstances are different. Grant amounts are determined on a case-to-case basis.

If a customer’s utility service is off or in threat of termination when they apply and the maximum grant amount will not restore service or stop termination, the application will be denied. The amount needed to restore service or stop a termination is determined by utility review. Notification will be sent to the customer advising them that their application was denied and that an additional payment is required in order to be considered for assistance.

Additional Guidelines

• Account must be residential, single home or apartment. No “cooking only”, commercial, industrial, or apartments with shared utility service.
• Name on account must be that of an adult who is currently living in the home.

Income Guidelines

Total gross household income must be at or below 250% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines. Use our Income Calculator, or the chart below, to find out if your gross (before tax) income is within the range of eligibility for the program.