New Jersey American Water customers who qualify for bill-paying assistances under the company’s Help to Others (H2O) program may also be eligible for free water saving programs to help reduce their monthly water bills.

Qualified New Jersey American Water customers can now receive water audits by phone. Representatives will offer tips on how to find leaks, conserve water, and help customers determine how water-efficient their homes are. Customers could also receive free water-saving retrofit kits, as well as some in-home leak repairs and the installation of water-efficient devices. Eligible customers will be contacted by Measuring & Monitoring Services, Inc. (MMSI), which administers the program. In addition, some customers may qualify for a 100 percent discount on their water service charge.

“The smallest leak in a home could add a significant amount to a customer’s water bill,” said John Bigelow, president of New Jersey American Water. “These new components to our low income program will help customers use water more efficiently and save money while, at the same time, protect a precious natural resource.”

For the last eight years, New Jersey American Water has offered low income customers two assistance programs:

H2O Help to Others Grants0grea-Help to Others Program
H2O Help to Others helps to pay a portion of the bills of those who demonstrate a true need within a defined income level. A grant from the H2O Help to Others Program may not cover a recipient’s entire water bill. In some cases, recipients must cover a portion of their bill, based on their ability to pay. In order to qualify for this program, customers must have annual incomes at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty guidelines.

H2O Help to Others Discount
The discount takes the H2O Help to Others program one step further by providing aid to New Jersey American Water’s most economically challenged customers through rate reductions. In order to qualify for this program, customers must have annual incomes at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty guidelines.

Last year, New Jersey American Water teamed up with NJ SHARES to accept and process payment assistance applications for both programs, determine each applicant’s eligibility and administer grants according to the program guidelines. Eligibility guidelines are established by New Jersey American Water and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. In 2010, New Jersey American Water assisted more than 600 customers with more than $170,000 in grants.

For more information on H2O and for eligibility requirements, visit www.newjerseyamwater.com.