Melanie Lekocevic is reporting for Capital Region Independent Media that some residents who owe back payments for their water and sewer bills could be eligible for federal funds intended to help customers avoid service interruptions. Gov. Kathy Hochul November 29, announced that $69.8 million in federal funding is now available to help low-income New Yorkers pay drinking water and wastewater bills that are in arrears. The program is administered by the state’s Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. The program is called the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program; the funds will provide income-qualified individuals and families with up to $2,500 for drinking water bills in arrears and $2,500 for wastewater bills in arrears, Hochul said. The state’s moratorium on service shutoffs, imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, will expire in late December and regulated utilities have agreed to hold off on service disconnections through the New Year’s holiday, but service shutoffs may resume after that. Eligibility for the program is determined by household income and size and the amount that is past due. Information is available at the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance website. Read the full story in The Ravena News-Herald.