ACTS Human Services - Emergency Assistance Office Utility Assistance Policies

Effective January 1, 2020

How ACTS Can Help

ACTS provides financial assistance to households who have received a utility disconnection notice from one of the following utility companies: Prince William County Service Authority (PWCSA), Virginia American Water (VAWC), Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC), Dominion Virginia Power (DVP), Washington Gas (WG), or Columbia Gas (CG). We also assist our unsheltered residents with propane.

  • For assistance with NOVEC, PWCSA, VAWC, WG and CG,  households must reside in Prince William County.
  • For assistance with Dominion Virginia Power, households must reside in the eastern part of Prince William County (zip codes 22191, 22192, 22193, 22025, 22026, 22172, 22134).
  • ACTS does not assist with initial deposit payments, fees for unauthorized usage/tampering, returned check/insufficient funds fees or closed accounts.

 Requirements

  • Households must have an appointment with an ACTS case manager, which may be scheduled through ACTS website (actspwc.org). If households do not have access to the internet or need assistance booking an appointment online, they can call 703-221-3186 and leave a message. Calls are returned within 24 hours.
  • Households must bring all required documentation (as detailed on the website) to every appointment. The required documents are also listed on the appointment email confirmation and in the appointment reminder email.
  • Households more than 15 minutes late for an appointment without notification will need to schedule a new appointment. Households who fail to show for two scheduled appointments without prior notice and approval, will be ineligible for assistance until four months from their last "No Show" appointment.
  • There is no income eligibility requirement the first time a household receives utility assistance. However, except for DVP customers (who never have an income eligibility requirement), households must meet the following income requirements for assistance in the future:                           
Family Size Monthly Income
1 $2,082
2 $2,818
3 $3,555
4 $4,292
5 $5,028
6 $5,765

For each additional family member, add $737.

  • After the first instance of emergency utility assistance and every time thereafter, households will be required to pay a percentage towards toward their utility bill.
    • For the second assist, ACTS will help with 85% of allowable amount.
    • For the third assist and all those thereafter, ACTS will help with 75% of the allowable amount.
    • For the third assist and all those thereafter, ACTS will help with 75% of the charges owed.
  • Households are eligible to receive emergency utility assistance once every four months.
    • Special Note for Dominion Customers: If someone in the household is 60 years or older, households are eligible for assistance twice in a season.

I have read and understand ACTS Utility Assistance Policy