Water utility prices are rising at an alarming rate, the report states, and by 2022, the report projects that nearly one-third of American households will be unable to afford their monthly water bill.
wrote that with a growing number of Americans at risk of not being able to afford water in their homes, the serious problem needs immediate attention.
"Today, the monthly bill for that same family has ballooned to $112.04, according to data from CircleofBlue.org., If water prices had risen at the rate of inflation over the last eight years, that average bill would be nearly $30 a month less at $82.81.
"Unfortunately, prices are expected to continue to rise significantly over the next five years due to a variety of factors, including infrastructure upgrades, climate change, and sanitation."
"First, there’s the need to replace old infrastructure in cities across the country.
In the 1970s, federal funding for water infrastructure was over 60 percent, today it’s less than 10 percent, according to the release.. Population increases are putting more strain on water resources.
"The nation is facing necessary expenses to sustain its ability to provide water to its citizens, and most people say they are willing to pay more if it means ensuring access to safe water resources," the release stated.
"There aren’t currently any federal laws that ensure low-income households are able to afford water services," teh release stated.
"There’s also no national funding to provide assistance in paying for water services, and in many cases, utilities and states are able to disconnect water services to those who can’t pay their bills.
"Simply put, the problem of accessing clean drinking water isn’t just something that happens in developing countries.