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Thursday, June 25th, 2020

Revealed: millions of Americans can’t afford water as bills rise 80% in a decade

Author:     Nina Lakhani
Source:     Guardian (U.K.)
Publication Date:     Tue 23 Jun 2020 05.00 EDT
 Link: Revealed: millions of Americans can’t afford water as bills rise 80% in a decade
Stephan:   From the 1940s until the 1980s the United States led the world in the quality of its roads, bridges, medical research, water, and on an on. Today we lead in only one major government sector, what we spend on the military; we are the biggest death merchants in the world. For ordinary Americans, however, we are becoming a basket case. If you look at the developed nations of the world, say the 37 members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, you discover from literacy to elder care we are second rate. And nowhere is this clearer than in our water systems, both quality and cost. As you read this bear in mind it was published in the leading English newspaper, and it comes on top of months of reports about other failures and deficiencies. If you lived in Finland, or Portugal, and you were reading these stories what would you say about America? It's humiliating, and I am tired of it, and I plan to vote to stop this.

Millions of ordinary Americans are facing rising and unaffordable bills for running water, and risk being disconnected or losing their homes if they cannot pay, a landmark Guardian investigation has found.

Exclusive analysis of 12 US cities shows the combinedprice of water and sewage increased by an average of 80% between 2010 and 2018, with more than two-fifths of residents in some cities living in neighbourhoods with unaffordable bills.

In the first nationwide research of its kind, our findings reveal the painful impact of America’s expanding water poverty crisis as aging infrastructure, environmental clean-ups, changing demographics and the climate emergency fuel exponential price hikes in almost every corner of the US.Quick guide

How we did our water poverty investigation

America’s growing water affordability crisis comes as the Covid-19 pandemic underlines the importance of access to clean water. The research shows that rising bills are not just hurting the poorest but also, increasingly, working Americans.

“More people are in trouble, and the poorest of the poor are in big trouble,” said Roger Colton, a leading utilities analyst, who was commissioned by the Guardian to […]

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1 Comment

  1. Rev. Dean on Friday, June 26, 2020 at 7:20 am

    I am glad to not be the only one to notice the high price of water. It hits us gardeners harder than regular people because we use a lot during these hot months. I have had to pay close to $300 for one month a couple of years ago. Now I just pray for rain and only water when absolutely necessary.