DWP Gives Out Vouchers to Low-Income Customers

Customers with overdue water or electric bills got a helping hand Wednesday from the Department of Water and Power. The utility provided $100,000 worth of vouchers under a program known as Project ANGEL. The acronym stands for Assist Neighbors by Giving Energy for Living.

The United Way distributed the vouchers at five community centers in South-Central Los Angeles, Watts, Los Angeles and Wilmington.

Since the program was started in 1983, $1.3 million has been distributed to about 12,000 families, according to DWP spokeswoman Dorothy Jensen. The money is provided by city employees and customers, who can make donations when they pay their monthly water bills. Customers with overdue water or electric bills can qualify for up to $150 if they satisfy low-income requirements. For one person, that’s an annual household income of $8,164. A family of eight is eligible if the income is $27,638 or less.