Leak relief and household assistance

A high water bill may have a path to review

Hidden plumbing failures can produce an alarming bill before the problem is visible. This guide separates what City of San Bernardino Municipal Water Department (SBMWD) publicly describes from the practical steps every customer can take while requesting help.

Provider-specific review

What the public record says about a leak adjustment

SBMWD’s public guidance places customer-side leaks past the meter on the customer/property owner, while the department maintains the lateral from the main to the meter. A customer who receives an unusual bill should inspect the property, compare the meter movement when all fixtures are off, and contact Customer Service at (909) 384-5095 if the bill or meter reading appears wrong. The new AMI program reports continuous consumption and can issue high- or unusual-use alerts, but the department expressly warns that an alert cannot locate the leak and does not necessarily indicate a burst pipe. The published pages do not promise a standard percentage credit, winter-average recalculation, or automatic forgiveness after repairs; customers should retain plumber invoices, repair records, meter photos, and alert history and request an account-specific review. Billing disputes should be raised within 10 days of receiving the bill, with a supervisor and then written management review available if the first explanation does not resolve the issue.

Stop the loss

Shut off the failing fixture or supply and arrange a qualified repair.

Keep proof

Save dated invoices, parts receipts, photographs, and meter readings.

Request review

Submit the request promptly and keep paying any undisputed amount.

Utility assistance

Customer assistance and eligibility

SBMWD’s Customer Assistance Program provides a $15.00 monthly water-bill discount to qualifying single-family residential customers. The applicant must be the customer of record, live within SBMWD’s service territory, use the location as the primary residence, satisfy the current annual household-income limits, provide identity and income documentation, and not be a duplex, triplex, or other multifamily account. The current application states that eligibility is effective the billing period after approval, lasts two years, requires reapplication every two years, and is limited to 500 participants at one time on a first-come, first-served basis. The 2026 application lists income limits effective June 1, 2025 through May 31, 2026, with household-size thresholds up to $108,300 for eight people in the updated Spanish-language version; customers should use the current application because limits can be revised.

State and federal connections

Where to ask for broader aid

The active published local affordability mechanism is SBMWD’s CAP application, submitted with prior-year federal/state tax returns, Social Security benefit statements, SSI disability documentation, and other requested proof to Customer Service at 1350 South E Street or CAP Program, P.O. Box 710, San Bernardino, CA 92402. The utility’s current pages do not advertise a separate 2026 LIHWAP or HEAP water-benefit intake, and no state/federal water-assistance application URL is identified in the live customer materials. Customers with hardship should call (909) 384-5095 and ask whether a county, state, or federally funded program is active before relying on an outside grant or payment promise; CAP is a local $15 monthly credit rather than a federal arrears grant.

Research status for this provider

4 of 4 relief signals publicly identified

Verify with official provider ↗

Emergency route

Published detail

Leak policy

Published detail

Utility aid

Published detail

State/federal aid

Published detail

Leak and assistance notes

Build the file before asking City of San Bernardino Municipal Water Department (SBMWD) for relief

A high bill can have several causes, including a hidden plumbing failure, irrigation use, a meter issue, a change in occupancy, or a rate adjustment. The provider’s leak policy determines whether any credit is available; an unusually high bill does not automatically qualify.

Keep a dated record of the reading, the suspected source, the repair, the contractor or parts receipt, and the return to normal use. Ask whether the utility requires a specific form, a licensed repair, a meter test, photos, or a request within a fixed number of days.

For income-related difficulty, ask about local assistance, payment arrangements, state programs, and community referrals separately from a leak adjustment. These programs often use different applications, documents, funding limits, and deadlines.

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