LIHWAP DCL-2022-10 LIHWAP Data Dashboard Release FY2022

Low Income Household Water Assistance Program

Dear Colleague Letter

DCL#:                                LIHWAP-DCL-2022-10

DATE:                                April 7, 2022

TO:                                    LIHWAP Grant Recipients, Stakeholders and Interested Parties

SUBJECT:                          OCS Launches LIHWAP Data Dashboard

ATTACHMENT(S):           N/A

Dear Colleagues,

The purpose of this Dear Colleagues Letter (DCL) is to notify Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) grant recipients, partners, stakeholders, and other interested parties that the LIHWAP Data Dashboard has been publicly released on the Office of Community Services (OCS) website. The LIHWAP Data Dashboard is an information management tool that visually tracks, analyzes, and displays key performance indicators, as well as key data points from the approved LIHWAP Implementation Plans and the LIHWAP quarterly and annual reports.

Background

In order to ensure that all critical stakeholders have timely information on the status of LIHWAP efforts, OCS has implemented, for the first time in its history, a two-stage data collection process, beginning with quarterly reports, followed by an annual report each year. The quarterly and annual reports will help OCS:

1) Ensure that LIHWAP is implemented effectively and efficiently.

2) Provide reliable and complete fiscal and household data for analysis and reporting in near real-time.

3)  Administer timely and effective training and technical assistance to grant recipients to improve program administration and address challenges.

4) Respond to questions from Congress, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Office of Management and Budget, the White House, and other interested parties in a timely and accurate manner.

The purpose of collecting the quarterly reports, specifically, is to obtain benefit data from all grant recipients as the program is implemented and executed in near real-time. This data will be used by OCS to analyze how grant recipients have chosen to implement LIHWAP and address the water affordability needs of low-income households. As a new program, the data will also help establish a baseline for water and wastewater needs across the country and identify best practices for reducing arrearages and rates charged for water services. Indicators from both the FY 2022 quarter 1 report and the LIHWAP Implementation Plans are currently included in the LIHWAP Data Dashboard . Additional quarterly report data and data from the annual report  will be included in the Dashboard once it is received.

LIHWAP Data Dashboard Release

Today, April 7^th, 2022, the LIHWAP Data Dashboard was published online and is now available for public access. This tool will allow LIHWAP grant recipients and members of the public to explore LIHWAP trends both in their own locality and across the country. In addition, OCS intends to use this tool to enhance the evaluation and analysis of the program, and OCS will make changes to the tool as needed based on grant recipient and program needs.  

Using geographic information system (GIS) technology, the LIHWAP Data Dashboard provides a visual and interactive method for viewers to examine trends and other metrics related to the implementation of LIHWAP. The Data Dashboard includes information conveyed through text, maps, and charts to enhance the understanding of how each grant recipient is managing their program. When viewing the LIHWAP data dashboard, we recommend using either a Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge browser to ensure all of the content is able to load properly.

Currently, state grant recipient information is available in the LIHWAP Data Dashboard. OCS expects to update the Dashboard with territory and tribal grant recipient information in May 2022. Additionally, a video tutorial will be released in the coming weeks to provide users with an overview of the functionality and intended usage of each tool in the dashboard. 

Future iterations of the dashboard will also offer tools to support training and technical assistance. For example, the LIHWAP Data Dashboard will house a water utility vendor landscape tool with data related to vendor size, ownership, services and more. This tool will be released with the FY 2022 quarter 2 data.

OCS would like to thank our LIHWAP grant recipients, partners, and stakeholders for providing feedback on the Dashboard and helping to strengthen and refine the tool.

Thank you for your attention to these matters. OCS looks forward to continuing to provide high-quality services to OCS grantees.

/s/
Dr. Lanikque Howard
Director
Office of Community Services