The High Price of Household Water

According to Food & Water Watch, a D.C.-based non-profit, U.S. households are now paying 62% more for drinking water than they did just a decade ago. That figure outpaces overall inflation, grocery prices and household incomes. It should be noted, however, that evaluating affordability based solely on published rates, and not what customers may pay after assistance, can be somewhat misleading.

2025 billing data comes from the 500 largest community water systems, which serve about 45% of the country’s population. It compared current rates with data from a similar survey conducted in 2015. It does not include sewer charges, which are often billed separately.

In 2025, the average household using 60,000 gallons of water per year - about 5,000 per month, paid $531 for drinking water service. Costs varied widely with annual bills ranging from $133 - $1,416. For the record, I’m single with no other household members and use about 900 gallons per month.

Water prices rose 1.6 times faster than overall consumer prices, which rose 39% over the same 10-year time frame. The costs rose more than twice as fast as groceries - which increased 30%, and also 19% faster than household incomes. New Hampshire, Oregon, and West Virginia saw the biggest increases, with New Hampshire water increasing nearly five times faster than household incomes.

Corporate-owned water utilities charged 67% more than publicly-owned utilities: $823 per year vs. $494 per year. However, corporate-owned utilities represented just 11% of the 500 systems studied. California accounted for over half of the most expensive systems, which remember… were more likely to be corporate-owned. On the other hand, the south accounted for 60% of the least expensive.

Like most anything, cost were hardest on low-income households. In addition, water bills exceeded the study’s affordability threshold in 93% of systems. Affordability, though, was defined at just 1.5% of income for the poorest fifth of households. Only Idaho and Utah ranked below that threshold.

Food & Water Watch said water systems are in necessity of updates to repair aging water lines and clean up past contamination, which is happening in my small town. Water rates aren’t increasing all that much, but in just over two years, two water surcharges and two sewer surcharges have been added, increasing the water/sewer combination costs by 70% in less than three years. My little town is now up to the national average, despite only 1,200 residents.

That’s a situation that is coming to many towns as the infrastructure continues to deteriorate. It would be nice if Trump would end the silly war with Iran, bring our military back home, and address national necessities rather than the military industrial complex.

Some studies suggest today’s water costs could double by 2050, which would mean 20% of households would spend more than 2,5% of income on drinking water. Personally, that doesn’t sound too bad to me. After all, what other absolute necessity only costs 2.5% of income?

Let’s not forget, assistance programs were over-looked in the study, and many are available for both privately-owned and taxpayer-run facilities. If you need help, call your provider and ask.

Source used: Guardian

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