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Port Orchard staff push to expand utility low-income discount and change leak credit
Summary
City staff and the finance committee proposed widening eligibility for the water low-income discount to 150% of the federal poverty threshold and raising the discount (current 25%) to roughly 35%; council also discussed replacing the $100 flat leak credit with a percentage-based credit (examples included 75%) and a six-month follow-up if enacted.
Port Orchard officials on April 21 reviewed two utility-policy changes aimed at lowering bills for vulnerable households.
Noah, who presented the utility-item packet, explained the existing low-income water discount applies to residential accounts with household income at or below 125% of the U.S. Census poverty threshold and provides a 25% reduction applied to base rates. Staff said the program, launched in 2023, had 24 enrolled accounts and yields roughly $420 in annual savings per enrolled household; the current annual cost to the city was estimated at about $10,500 based on that participation level.
The finance committee recommended two changes to expand access: raising the eligibility threshold from 125% to…
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