Among one of the things that so many of us take for granted is running water in our homes and offices. Toilets that flush, showers that work, and dishes that can be cleaned are all things that might go overlooked. But a new report reveals that water prices have increased 80% during the past eight years and millions of Americans are facing unaffordable bills and significant debts for such an important component of what we think of when we think of a civilized life.
Two-fifths of residents in some cities can not afford to pay their water bills, according to the study, which was commissioned by The Guardian and published by the news outlet, Consumer Reports, and other partners.
“More people are in trouble, and the poorest of the poor are in big trouble,” said Roger Colton, a leading utilities analyst, who conducted the research for the report. “The data shows that we’ve got an affordability problem in an overwhelming number of cities nationwide that didn’t exist a decade ago, or even two or three years ago in some cities.”
As a rule of thumb, a water bill that exceeds 4% of a household’s total income is considered to be unaffordable. On average, the annual water bill for a household in the United States increased to $1,435 in 2018, up from $566 in 2010.
Calling it a water poverty crisis, the report says things are going to get a lot worse. In Austin, Texas, for example, more than 80% of low-income residents will not be able to afford their water bills by 2030. In New Orleans, Sante Fe, and Cleveland, 75% of low-income residents live in neighborhoods where the average water and sewer bills are unaffordable.
Nationwide, about 5% of homes have their water disconnected annually, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only made things worse. While many municipalities enacted moratoriums prohibiting electricity and water from being shut off, those programs are being wound down, and a huge number of individuals are facing disconnected services in the coming weeks and months.
