It’s the first city to set water rates based on income.
This week, Philadelphia is launching a first-of-its-kind program to address a common problem: Late and unpaid water bills can leave low-income people without the ability to shower or cook food in their homes.
In Philadelphia, more than 40 percent of the city’s water utility customers are delinquent in paying their water bills, amounting to about $242 million in uncollected revenue, according to the Philadelphia Water Department.
The city’s solution? Charge residents based on how much money they make.
GOVERNING.COM
BY J.B. WOGAN | JULY 5, 2017