Detroit Water Shutoff Help 2026–27: What to Do When Lifeline H2O Is Full
If you got a past-due notice from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD), you've probably heard about the Lifeline H2O plan and its $34 monthly bill. The problem is that, as of October 2026, DWSD says enrollment is full. That leaves many Detroit households asking what they can do right now.
This guide walks through the options that are actually open, in the order that usually works best: stop the shutoff with a payment plan, ask the state for emergency help with the past-due amount, and get on the list for Lifeline H2O when it reopens.
Last checked October 2026. Programs, funding and phone numbers change, so confirm with each office before you rely on them.
Step 1: Call DWSD and Ask for EasyPay Today
The fastest way to protect your service is DWSD EasyPay. It's a payment plan for past-due water, sewer and drainage balances, and it's open to every DWSD customer regardless of income.
Down payment: $10, no matter how large your balance is.
Repayment: The rest of the past-due balance is spread over 36 months, added to your regular monthly bill.
Shutoff protection: DWSD says enrolled customers are protected from shutoff and other collection actions as long as they stay current. There are no penalties or interest on the plan.
How to enroll: Call 313-267-8000 and say "EasyPay," or sign up through the DWSD customer self-service portal at csportal.detroitmi.gov.
When DWSD announced EasyPay, it said customers who enroll by phone or online have up to 10 days to make the $10 deposit. That's useful if you want to pay cash at a payment kiosk.
Tip: EasyPay only works if you keep paying the current bill plus the installment each month. If that total is still too high, keep reading. State emergency money can shrink the past-due balance first.
Step 2: Apply for State Emergency Relief (SER)
Michigan's State Emergency Relief (SER) program, run by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), can pay toward a water or sewer arrearage when the payment will keep or restore your service.
According to the current SER manual:
Water/sewer cap: up to $350 per state fiscal year (October through September).
What it pays: past-due water and sewer balances, deposits and reconnection fees. Reconnection fees and deposits have a separate $200-per-issuance maximum. SER does not pay current charges.
The 30-day rule: The payment has to restore or continue service for at least 30 days at your current home.
No copayment: There's no income copayment for water and sewer requests.
The bill doesn't have to be in your name, but it must be tied to your current address.
SER income limits (effective October 1, 2026)
For water and sewer requests, SER uses 150% of the federal poverty level, measured as monthly income:
1 person: $1,995
2 people: $2,705
3 people: $3,415
4 people: $4,125
5 people: $4,835
6 people: $5,545
Add $710 for each additional person
How to apply
Apply online through MI Bridges and request State Emergency Relief. The SER manual says an online MI Bridges application that requests an SER service counts as a complete application. Upload your DWSD shutoff notice or past-due bill along with your income documents.
Your application date starts a 30-day SER eligibility period. Applications submitted after 5 p.m. or on a non-business day are dated the next business day, so apply early on a weekday if you can.
Step 3: Get on the Lifeline H2O Notification List
Lifeline H2O is DWSD's income-based plan. Here's what DWSD says it offers:
A fixed $34 monthly bill for water, sewerage and drainage.
Up to 4,500 gallons a month before normal rates apply.
Shutoff protection while you're on the plan and paying the monthly bill.
Possible free water conservation fixes (for example, leak repairs) if your usage is above 4,500 gallons for three months in a row and funding is available.
Who qualifies
Household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level
You're the current DWSD account holder
A working water meter is installed inside the home
Since February 2026, DWSD has allowed households with a past-due balance to enroll. The old balance stays on the account, and you're responsible for it when your enrollment period ends. If you're on EasyPay and get approved for Lifeline H2O, you'll be moved off EasyPay.
Why you may have to wait
DWSD says the program is funded through the Great Lakes Water Authority's WRAP allocation for Detroit, and enrollment is currently full. Customers enrolled as of mid-2026 keep their benefits through June 30, 2027 if they stay current. DWSD's July 2026 dashboard showed about 4,710 households in Lifeline H2O and more than 57,000 accounts on EasyPay.
To be notified when applications reopen, fill out the form at lifeline.detroitmi.gov. The Lifeline line listed on DWSD and GLWA materials is 313-435-2055. Have proof of income (or proof you receive SNAP/FAP or another qualifying benefit) and your DWSD account number ready.
If You Live Outside Detroit: WRAP Through Wayne Metro
If your water comes from a Great Lakes Water Authority member community outside the city, such as Dearborn, Hamtramck, Highland Park, Livonia, Taylor or Westland, you may qualify for the Water Residential Assistance Program (WRAP). Detroit residents are directed to Lifeline H2O instead.
GLWA says WRAP can help pay down past-due balances and provide bill payment help for up to two years. It may also cover conservation help and minor plumbing repairs. Eligible seniors and permanently disabled people can get bill credits with no expiration date.
Eligibility: income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, you're responsible for the water bill, and you own or rent the home you live in.
Wayne County (Wayne Metro): call 313-386-9727 or apply at waynemetro.org/wrap.
WRAP toll-free line: 1-833-871-9727.
Wayne Metro also runs separate water affordability programs with direct bill payment help for residents facing a shutoff. Its online water application accepts a set number of applications each week. When the weekly limit is reached, it pauses and reopens Mondays at 8 a.m. Apply early in the week. The Wayne Metro Connect Center is 313-388-9799. Wayne Metro says to allow 2 to 3 weeks for a response.
Documents to Gather Before You Call Anyone
Most of these programs ask for the same papers. Getting them together first saves days:
Photo ID for every adult in the household
Your most recent DWSD bill and any shutoff or past-due notice
Proof of income for the last 30 days (pay stubs, unemployment, Social Security or SSI letters, child support)
Proof of benefits such as SNAP/FAP, if you have them
A lease showing who is responsible for water, if you rent and the bill isn't in your name
Renters: Who Is Responsible for the Bill?
If you rent, the water account may be in your landlord's name. SER says the bill doesn't have to be in your name if it's tied to your current address. Lifeline H2O, however, requires you to be the DWSD account holder. If you rent and your landlord isn't paying the water bill, contact DWSD at 313-267-8000 to ask about your options. Keep copies of your lease and any rent receipts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can DWSD shut off my water if I'm on EasyPay?
DWSD says customers enrolled in EasyPay are protected from shutoffs and other collection actions as long as they stay current on the plan.
Lifeline H2O is full. Is there any income-based help right now?
Yes, but it comes from other sources. SER can pay up to $350 per fiscal year toward a water or sewer arrearage if you meet the income limit. Sign up at lifeline.detroitmi.gov to be notified when Lifeline H2O reopens.
Can SER pay my whole water bill?
No. SER can't pay current charges, and the water/sewer cap is $350 per state fiscal year. It can be combined with an EasyPay plan to make the remaining balance manageable.
My water is already off. What should I do?
Call DWSD at 313-267-8000 the same day and ask what it will take to restore service, including whether EasyPay applies. Then apply for SER through MI Bridges. SER can pay reconnection fees and arrearages when the payment restores service for at least 30 days.
I live in Dearborn (or another suburb). Does Lifeline H2O apply to me?
No. Lifeline H2O is for City of Detroit DWSD customers. Suburban GLWA communities use WRAP, which Wayne Metro administers in Wayne County.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Program funding and rules change, so confirm with each agency before you go.
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