The proposed bill establishes the Household Water Assistance Program in New Jersey, designed to provide financial assistance to eligible low-income households for covering costs associated with water, sewer, and stormwater utility services. The program will be administered by the Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs in collaboration with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. Eligible households are defined as those with an adjusted gross income at or below a threshold set by the department, which must be at least 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, as well as those receiving various forms of assistance such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and Supplemental Security Income. The bill outlines the types of assistance available, including direct financial aid, crisis intervention, and debt relief for arrears.

To support the program, the bill appropriates $75 million from federal funds under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and establishes a non-lapsing Household Water Assistance Fund dedicated to the program's purposes. It also mandates the creation of an advisory group to assist in program development and requires the Commissioner to adopt an annual expenditure plan detailing fund usage and strategies for improving water service affordability. Additionally, the bill creates a non-lapsing Water Rate Assistance Fund, funded through state appropriations and federal grants, and mandates a data-sharing mechanism between public utilities and the department to track enrollment in low-income assistance programs while ensuring confidentiality protections.