New $115 credit coming to thousands of Brooklynites’ next water bill

Mayor Bill de Blasio on Friday, July 14 announced that more than 53,000 low-income homeowners will receive an automatic $115 credit on their water and sewer bill.

Nearly 17,000 Brooklynites will receive the new credit on their next bill, according to the mayor’s office, along with 23,149 Queens residents, 8,451 Staten Island residents, 4,717 Bronx residents and just 101 Manhattan residents.

“We are putting water rate relief directly into the hands of low-income homeowners and senior citizens across the city,” said de Blasio. “Maintaining reasonable water and sewer rates is a key piece of the affordability puzzle for hard-working New York families.”

Locally, Councilmember Vincent Gentile said, this credit will make a major impact.

“This credit will go a long way towards helping those in my district of low-income who are struggling and working hard every day to make ends meet,” he said. “Hundreds of homeowners, renters and senior citizens will feel the positive effects of this water credit that I have been on the front lines in advocating for.”

Furthermore, the New York City Water Board has authorized the extension of the credit to approximately 12,000 more senior citizens in Fiscal Year ’18. The board has also approved a new $250 per residential unit credit, to begin next year, for multi-family buildings that meet certain affordability, conservation and performance criteria.

This new credit will provide a total of $10 million of assistance to properties citywide, and serve as many as 40,000 units.