Relief research · dataset 2026.08
Leak adjustment and assistance information for New York City Department of Environmental Protection – Bureau of Customer Services / NYC Water Board
A high bill does not automatically qualify for a credit. This page states only the provider-specific emergency, leak, or assistance details identified in public material.
Stop active water loss
Use the provider’s emergency route for public-side issues and a qualified repair route for private plumbing.
Preserve the evidence
Keep dated readings, photographs, parts receipts, contractor invoices, and proof that usage returned to normal.
Ask for the exact policy
Confirm the form, filing deadline, eligible repairs, calculation method, and payment expectation during review.
Provider-specific findings
Relief research for this provider
The notes below may document a route, rule, or explicit public-information limit. General preparation steps are not represented as utility policy.
- Emergency reporting route
- 311 is the City’s 24/7 intake for water leaks on streets or in buildings, water-main-break reports, discolored water, no water, low pressure, running hydrants, sewer backups, and flooding; call 911 when the condition is an immediate emergency. DEP’s general-inquiry line is 718-595-5281, and the Customer Service billing/meter line is 718-595-7000 during published business hours.
- Leak-adjustment policy
- DEP’s Leak Forgiveness Program is available for metered properties when a leak produces a charge at least 200% of a representative normal bill; in certain cases where meter data was not readily available, the threshold is lowered to 150%. The property owner must repair the leak within 120 days of the original high-charge bill and submit a written request within that same 120-day period to BCS Correspondence—Leak Program, 59-17 Junction Boulevard, 7th Floor, Flushing, NY 11373, or create a high-bill dispute through My DEP Account. All leak types, including maintainable fixtures such as toilets, sinks, and showers, are eligible under the current FAQ. DEP forgives one-half of the high-bill amount, but the final bill cannot be lower than 150% of the property’s typical bill; the program may not be granted more than once within two years. No repair receipt is required when a working AMR device is attached, but a plumber’s receipt is required if the property lacks a working AMR device. DEP may extend the repair period by an additional 180 days when a licensed plumber documents that the leak could not reasonably have been discovered within the original 120 days.
- Utility assistance program
- The Home Water Assistance Program automatically gives eligible one- to four-family homeowners a $191 credit on the DEP account; eligibility is tied to a 2025–2026 federal HEAP regular heating benefit, NYC Department of Finance Senior Citizen Homeowners’ Exemption, Disabled Homeowners’ Exemption, or 2026 Veterans Exemption, and no separate enrollment is required. DEP also lists a Multi-Family Water Assistance Program with a $250 credit per eligible dwelling unit, the Multi-Family Conservation Program, Water Debt Assistance Program, HDFC/HDC assistance, and leak forgiveness. Water Debt Assistance can defer qualifying owner-occupied Tax Class One water debt for owners facing foreclosure or mortgage delinquency; current charges must continue to be paid and the deferred debt accrues interest until sale, refinancing, or ability to pay. The exact program rules and caps are program-specific rather than a universal senior or disability rate discount.
- State and federal aid connection
- DEP directly integrates with federally funded HEAP through the NYC Human Resources Administration and with NYC Department of Finance SCHE, DHE, and Veterans Exemptions for automatic Home Water Assistance credits. Eligible customers do not apply separately; DEP and HRA/DOF identify qualifying properties and apply the $191 credit to the water/sewer account. DEP’s current Water Debt Assistance and customer-assistance pages provide the local intake routes, including borough offices, WDAP@dep.nyc.gov, 311, and 718-595-7000. The reviewed 2026 pages do not describe a separate New York State LIHWAP water-only application workflow; historical notices referenced LIHWAP, but this record relies on the currently published HEAP/HRA integration.
Directory comparison
Public-information visibility
| Measure | This provider | New York | National index |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leak policy identified | Yes | 18% | 35% |
| Utility assistance identified | Yes | 14% | 31% |
| Relief fields documented | 4 of 4 | — | — |
Coverage does not measure generosity, eligibility, available funding, or service quality.
Read the nationwide analysis →Research record
Broad public detail found
4 of 4 fields in this section contain provider-specific public detail in dataset August 1, 2026.
Documented
100%
Primary verification routes
- New York City Department of Environmental Protection – Bureau of Customer Services / NYC Water Board public website ↗
Provider-controlled destination used to confirm current customer instructions.
- a826-umax.dep.nyc.gov reference ↗
Public URL preserved in the compiled record. Confirm its publisher, date, and applicability before relying on it.
- nyc.gov reference ↗
Public URL preserved in the compiled record. Confirm its publisher, date, and applicability before relying on it.
- EPA SDWIS / ECHO lookup (NY7003493) ↗
Search the federal drinking-water database using public water system ID NY7003493.