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 Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) – Water System 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

LADWP does not repair private-property leaks, but a customer may request a billing adjustment after an underground leak has been repaired. The request must be made within 12 months of the occurrence, and only one underground-leak request is honored within a 24-month period. Mail the customer’s name, service address, telephone number, brief description of the leak, and copies of repair receipts to the appropriate Field Investigations Office, LADWP, Attn: Harbor, Metro, Valley, or West L.A. Field Investigation Unit, P.O. Box 51111, Los Angeles, CA 90051-0100; the same documents can be submitted through a Customer Service Center for forwarding. Broken or leaking sprinklers, water heaters, faucets, toilets, swimming-pool equipment, and pool leaks do not qualify for this LADWP water-billing adjustment. The Field Investigations Unit determines the adjustment, generally contacts the customer after at least four to six weeks, and may require the customer to retain proof of the repair and account details.

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

LADWP offers EZ-SAVE for income-qualified households and the Senior Citizen/Disability Lifeline Rate for qualifying customers age 62 or older or with an eligible disability; the City also lists life-support equipment, physician-certified allowance, Level Pay, payment extensions, and payment arrangements. EZ-SAVE income limits published for the current program are effective July 1, 2025 and vary by household size; the public qualification form asks about household income, age, disability, life-support devices, and qualifying medical conditions. Payment arrangements require no down payment, interest, or arrangement fee and may extend up to 48 months for discount-program customers or up to 24 months for non-discount customers. LADWP does not publish one universal water-credit cap in the current public materials because the discount is program-specific and may combine water, sewer, and electric account components; customers should use the official qualification form and current program terms.

State and federal connections

Where to ask for broader aid

LADWP directly publishes California water and utility assistance pathways. The California Water and Wastewater Arrearage Payment Program (CWWAPP) and California Arrearage Payment Program (CAPP) supplied state funds that LADWP applied as automatic credits to eligible accounts for qualifying pandemic-era debt. Current applicants are directed to LIHEAP, the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, through California’s Community Services and Development provider network or 866-674-6327; LADWP publishes 2026 income eligibility limits and states that a benefit of up to $1,500 may assist with energy-bill hardship or an emergency/disconnection. LADWP also maintains EZ-SAVE and local payment arrangements, while sewer-charge questions and sewer adjustments route to the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation at 1-800-773-2489 or lacitysan.org.

Research status for this provider

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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 Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) – Water System 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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