New York to Offer $191 Credit to Pay for Water

More than 70,000 New York City property owners may receive a $191 credit to reduce their water and sewer bills.

• The benefit is part of the Home Water Assistance Program and has a significant advantage: eligible property owners do not need to enroll.
• The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) automatically identifies eligible recipients using information from other city assistance programs and exemptions.

Why it matters: The relief comes as combined water and sewer rates have increased 6% since July 2026.

Who Will Receive the $191 NYC Water Credit?

The program is aimed at low-income property owners whose property is a single-family, two-family, three-family, or four-family home within New York City, according to the city’s official website.

• In addition, they must have received the regular HEAP heating benefit during 2025-2026 or meet one of the established exemption requirements.
• Property owners with an approved SCHE or DHE as of March 2026 also qualify, as do those who received a veterans exemption in 2026.

HEAP helps with energy costs, while SCHE and DHE provide tax relief for certain seniors and property owners with disabilities.

No Need to Apply for the Credit

One key point is that there is no additional enrollment process to receive the $191 credit if the property owner already meets the requirements.

• The DEP will automatically apply the corresponding credits to the eligible property owner’s water and sewer account.
• On the first bill after the credits are applied, transactions will be identified as “NYC Home Water Assistance Credit” and “Home Water Assistance Program Plus”.

NYC311 clarifies that the $191 is a non-refundable annual credit. Therefore, it is not a check or cash deposit.

The NYC Water Credit Comes as Rates Increase

Since July 1, the combined rate has increased from $13.07 to $13.86 per 100 cubic feet, equivalent to 748 gallons.

For a typical single-family home, the DEP estimated an annual bill of approximately $1,297, compared with the previous $1,224.

• In that scenario, a $191 credit would be equivalent to about 15% of that estimated annual bill, offering significant relief for eligible households.

Property owners who believe they meet the requirements can review their next DEP bill and contact the agency’s customer service if they have questions about the credit.