The Passaic Valley Water Commission is now partnering with New Jersey SHARES Inc., a municipal customer assistance program.

The partnership will provide income-qualified households with grants totaling $500,000 to help with utility bills.

CEO Cheryl Stowell says that the money goes directly to the utility on customers’ behalf.

Jim Mueller, executive director of the Passaic Valley Water Commission, says customer delinquencies have risen to about $14 million since the COVID-19 pandemic. He says that programs like this help bring that number down to $10 million.