Relief research · dataset 2026.08
Leak adjustment and assistance information for City of Akron Water Supply Bureau (Utilities Business Office billing)
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
- (330) 375-2133 is the 24/7 Water Distribution emergency line for main breaks, leaks, brown water, and other urgent distribution problems. The Water Distribution dispatch/customer-service line is (330) 375-2420; use 311 inside Akron for non-emergency service requests.
- Leak-adjustment policy
- Akron’s rules distinguish several leak events. For a burst pipe, the account holder must submit a written request within 10 business days of receiving the bill and a properly executed affidavit; the Director may forgive up to 100% of excess sewer charges once per account holder and offer an interest- and penalty-free repayment plan of up to 48 months for the excess water charges. A leaking toilet may qualify once every 36 months per account holder, with up to 100% of excess sewer charges forgiven and up to 48 months to repay the excess water charge, again requiring the timely written request and executed affidavit. For an unknown underground leak, the customer must submit a written request within 10 business days, an eligibility affidavit, and records/receipts demonstrating that the leak was repaired; eligible excess water and sewer charges between the leak’s occurrence and the City’s notification may be forgiven up to 100%. The rules otherwise charge all water registered by the meter, including water lost through leakage, so relief is discretionary and documentation-based rather than automatic.
- Utility assistance program
- The City administers an Akron Water Bill Assistance Program and Akron Cares through the Utilities Business Office. The official application requires a HEAP or Percentage of Income Payment Plus (PIPP) letter and, for a non-owner, documentation such as a lease showing responsibility for the water bill; it authorizes information sharing with United Way. The application located does not state a fixed dollar cap or universal percentage, so the household award limit must be confirmed with the UBO at (330) 375-2554. City budget materials report that in 2023 Akron Cares assisted 2,208 accounts with $703,855, an average of $319 per customer, but that historical average is not a guaranteed 2026 award.
- State and federal aid connection
- Akron’s local water-assistance application is integrated with Ohio energy-assistance eligibility: applicants attach a HEAP or PIPP eligibility letter, then submit the application to the Utilities Business Office by email at UBO@AkronOhio.gov, mail to 1180 S. Main Street, Suite 110, Akron, OH 44301-1253, or fax (330) 375-2308. The form permits the City to share information with United Way for additional assistance screening. Ohio residents can begin the state HEAP/PIPP process through https://energyhelp.ohio.gov/; Summit County and United Way 2-1-1 are additional referral channels. The Akron form does not describe a separate LIHWAP water-only workflow or a guaranteed water-bill credit amount.
Directory comparison
Public-information visibility
| Measure | This provider | Ohio | National index |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leak policy identified | Yes | 23% | 35% |
| Utility assistance identified | Yes | 23% | 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
- City of Akron Water Supply Bureau (Utilities Business Office billing) public website ↗
Provider-controlled destination used to confirm current customer instructions.
- energyhelp.ohio.gov reference ↗
Public URL preserved in the compiled record. Confirm its publisher, date, and applicability before relying on it.
- EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System ↗
Federal background on public water-system records and their limitations.