Oceano residents receive extension on federally funded aid for utility bills | News | San Luis Obispo

Hundreds of Oceano residents have trouble paying their water and sewer bills on time.

“Past-due bills vary each bimonthly cycle, [but] for the December 2023 billing cycle, 434 late notices to customers were generated,” OCSD Account Administrator Nicole Miller told New Times.

But there’s help available—at least until March. A federal program recently extended its application deadline for people who want to apply for help paying those bills. The Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County (CAPSLO) is working with the Oceano Community Services District (OCSD) to take applications for help with water and sewer bill payments.

Miller said that residents facing financial difficulties should take advantage of this program.

CAPSLO is facilitating the federally funded Low Income Household Water Assistance Program, a one-time program designed to help households that are facing the threat of disconnection, have already been disconnected, or need assistance with current water or wastewater bills.

Applicants must be a SLO County resident, provide proof of state identification, be income eligible or have a household member currently receiving help from CalFresh or CalWORKS, and both water and sewer bills must be in the applicant’s name, according to CAPSLO’s website.

Miller said residents need to act fast because the program was only extended for two more months.

“The district was contacted in early 2022 to partner with them to support the community and is running until the end of March 2024,” she said.

According to a press release about the program, many Oceano residents already qualify for it.

“Households with an income below 60 percent of the state median income, such as $103,856 for a family of four, [are eligible],” the release said.

An OCSD survey from December 2022 reported that the average median household income for the district is $52,020.

Visit capslo.org/water-assistance to check for eligibility and to download the application. Δ