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Assistance Programs — Water and Wastewater

High water leak adjustment program

This program assists residential property owners experiencing difficulties paying their water/wastewater bill due to high water leaks. The program offers assistance to those customers who meet the following criteria:

  • Request must be made in writing by the homeowner to the utility clerk no later than 60 days following the issuance of the high bill in question.
  • Consumption must exceed two times (200 per cent) the average consumption.
  • Proof of repair must be provided before the adjustment to the City’s satisfaction.
  • The adjustment will only apply to the volumetric charges.
  • The adjustment will be credited to the homeowner’s water/wastewater account; no refunds will be provided.
  • A homeowner is only eligible for one leak adjustment per two years and no more than two leak adjustments over a 10-year period.
  • Adjustments will be capped at a maximum of $1,000.
The City provides a copy of the High water leak adjustment application to the applicant. Every applicant must complete the form and return it along with proof that repairs have been performed or a receipt for parts if repairs were made by the homeowner. Upon approval, the City applies the approved rebate to the customer's water/wastewater bill.

Please note, payment in the amount of the last regular billing must be made by the due date.

Low-income senior rebate program

This program addresses the impact of water/wastewater rates charged to low consumption, low-income residential customers. The low-income senior water/wastewater rebate offers assistance to residential customers who meet the following criteria:

  • Applicant (or spouse) is 65 years of age or older.
  • Applicant (or spouse) has been assessed as owner(s) of the residential property in the City of Welland for at least one year preceding the application.
  • Applicant (or spouse) uses the property for which the application is being made for the purposes of a personal residence.
  • Applicant (or spouse) is in receipt of a monthly guaranteed income supplement pursuant to Part II of the Old Age Security Act (Canada).
  • The annual water/wastewater consumption must be 100 m3 or less for the application year (prior year).
Requests for a low-income seniors water/wastewater rebate must be completed on the standard form and submitted to the finance division each year by May 1 for the previous year’s rebate. The general manager of corporate services or chief financial officer/treasurer reserves the right to deny any application received after the deadline. A separate application must be completed each year. A copy of the guaranteed income supplement entitlement letter or a copy of the T4OAS statement for the applicable year must be included with the application.

All applications will be reviewed by staff and approved by the general manager of corporate services or chief financial officer/treasurer. Upon approval, the City applies the annual rebate of $420 to the applicant’s water/wastewater billing account.

Special assistance program

This program assists residential property owners on a fixed income experiencing difficulties with payment of their water/wastewater bill. The City recognizes there are many hardships, and this program offers assistance to customers meeting the established criteria.

How it works

The Hope Centre provides applicants with a copy of the Application for Utilities forms accompanied with the Niagara Region Community Services Emergency Energy Fund application. Every applicant must complete these forms before an extensive review of all application details is performed by The Hope Centre.

Upon approval, the City applies the approved payment to the customer's water/wastewater bill.

To apply for the special assistance program, visit or call:

The Hope Centre
570 King Street
Welland, Ontario
L3B 3L3
905-788-0744 x221
www.thehopecentre.net


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