Do you currently receive a Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Exemption on your home? If you answered yes, you may also qualify for a discount on your sewer bill if you are a Pierce County sewer rate payer.

State law authorizes counties to provide assistance to low-income seniors and the disabled, so Pierce County looked for ways to establish such a discount. County Council passed Ordinance 2013-68s, a measure creating exemptions in monthly Pierce County sewer charges for low-income seniors and disabled individuals.

Program Basics
To receive the reduced rate, you must be a qualified customer with an active Property Tax Exemption filed with “Senior/Disabled and Permanent Disability” exemption code at the Assessor-Treasurer’s Department. If your property is currently coded in this way, you may be eligible.
Click here for more information on the Assessor-Treasurer Property Tax Exemptions & Deferrals.

Some additional rules apply:

• You must receive your sewer bill from Pierce County.
• The Reduced Rate is for the primary residence only (single-family or duplex dwelling unit).
• Commercial accounts do not qualify for a reduced rate.
• The reduced rate is a flat percentage amount of 20% applied to the basic sewer service charge.
• The customer is responsible for reporting any change that may affect qualifying for the reduced rate such as:

-Change of residence;
-Death of qualifying spouse;
-Primary residence is occupied by tenant;
-Sale of property; and/or
-Transfer of ownership of the property. 

Other Assistance Programs:

LASA-Living Access Support Alliance

LASA offers a Utility Bill Assistance Program open to Pierce County residents. This program is for water and sewer bills only (no cable or power bills). Call (253) 581-8689, Monday through Friday, between 10:00am and noon. A volunteer will ask for basic information from you or get back to you shortly if you leave a message.

United Way of Pierce County Dial 2-1-1 program

The United Way of Pierce County may be able to assist you. They maintain a large database of resources for many services, including utility assistance. Dial 2-1-1 from any phone in the 253 area code. If you are outside the area code, the number is (253) 572-4357 or (800) 572-4357.

Tacoma Public Utilities Payment Assistance
Some Tacoma Public Utilities residential customers may qualify for financial assistance. Visit http://www.mytpu.org/your/payment-assistance.htm for more information

For a listing of additional assistance programs, click here.