Utility bill discounts available for income-eligible households

Published on July 06, 2026

Reviewing bill with calculator

The City of Menlo Park offers a rate assistance program for solid waste services through Recology and water services through Menlo Park Municipal Water (MPMW) bills to help income-eligible residents facing financial hardship. At its June 23 meeting, City Council approved extending the rate assistance program through June 30, 2027. Active participants do not need to reapply but may be asked to re-certify their information.

Within the City of Menlo Park, there are four different water providers. Don’t know your water provider? Use the City’s interactive Water Providers Map. 

Program summary

  • 20% discount for solid waste account holders on their Recology bill
  • 50% monthly discount on the fixed meter charge for water service from Menlo Park Municipal Water
  • Discounts are retroactive for enrolled participants and will appear as credits or adjustments on future bills.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this program, households must meet the following criteria:

  • Must be enrolled in the PG&E California Alternative Rates for Energy (CARE) program. To enroll, visit pge.com/CARE or call 1-866-743-5832; and
  • Must be a Recology account holder to receive the solid waste discount; or
  • Must be a MPMW account holder to receive a water discount.

How to apply

Gather verification documents:

  • A recent PG&E bill to verify CARE enrollment. The address on the PG&E bill must be the same on the solid waste and water bills, but the names may be different.
  • A recent Recology and/or Menlo Park Municipal Water bill
  • Complete the application (available in English and Spanish) and submit it with verification documents to rateassistance@menlopark.gov or mail to:

City of Menlo Park
701 Laurel St.
Menlo Park CA 94025

For more information on the rate assistance program call 650-330-6740 or visit menlopark.gov/rateassistance. Residents in the California Water (Cal Water) service area may qualify for the Cal Water Customer Assistance Program. Visit calwater.com/cap, email cap@calwater.com, or call toll-free 877-419-170.

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