Our mission is to provide access to clean, safe water to all customers of North Park Water. If you’re having problems paying your water bill, we have programs that may help you.
We have several different programs depending on each customers situation. You can now start the process of applying to our programs online, however, there may be additional documentation required for various programs. Please call our offices at 815-633-5461 to identify which program(s) you may qualify for.
Who should apply?
Anyone having trouble paying their water bill should apply for help. Assistance programs are designed to help North Park Water customers who are:
Low income
Seniors
Having a special hardship that makes it difficult to pay their water bills
Having a special hardship due to a water leak
Special hardship
You are eligible for the special hardship program if you have experienced any of the following circumstances in the past 12 months:
Job loss: Main income-earner was out of work for four months, and was on unemployment
Serious illness: Customer or family member has a life-threatening condition, or is receiving in-home care
Family loss: Household’s primary income-earner passed away
Domestic violence: Customer spent time in a shelter because of domestic violence
Even if you are not experiencing one of the hardships listed above, we decide claims on a case-by-case basis and may still be able to help. Report your specific situation when filling out the application.
Types of assistance
We have several different types of assistance programs based on the severity of each case.
Payment arrangements
Payment arrangements allow you to extend the due date of your bill. The arrangement will guarantee that your water services will not be cutoff as long as the arrangement terms are met. If you would like to make an arrangement, please call 815-633-5461 and someone will be able to assist you in signing up. If you have an arrangement in place, but do not feel that you will be able to meet the arrangement, please call our offices. The best thing you can do is keep in contact with us.
Past-due management
The Past-due Management option allows customers to pay the current balance as it becomes due, while addressing the past-due balance based on specific terms. This will keep the customers balance "current" so that no further penalties or cutoffs will be assessed.
Hardship
The hardship program is a more extensive look into the customers financial situation. The program is facilitated through Rockford Human Services. This particular option requires proof of income as well as other additional documentation, as requested by Rockford Human Services.
One-Time Leak Adjustment
The Leak Adjustment program provides assistance to customers who have a significantly higher bill than normal due to a water leak. The program requires the leak is repaired and receipts are supplied to North Park Water as proof for the adjustment.
In order to qualify, the customers usage must be 3x their annual average (calculated by taking the average consumption over a 12-month period, not including the leak period in question). From there, the difference between the full consumption in question and the average consumption are then calculated and are referred to as the “leak” amount. The leak amount is then split 50/50 between the customer and NPW. The amount the customer will be responsible for is the original average amount plus the 50% portion of the leak. 