US households pay 62% more for water than they did a decade ago, study finds

Key Points:

• US households are paying 62% more for drinking water in 2025 compared to a decade ago, with water price increases outpacing inflation (39%), grocery prices (30%), and household incomes (19%).
• The study by Food & Water Watch found significant disparities, with corporate-owned water utilities charging 67% more on average than publicly owned systems, and California hosting over half of the most expensive water systems.
• Water costs are especially burdensome for low-income households, exceeding 1.5% of income in 93% of systems, with West Virginia and Puerto Rico facing the highest financial strain, where bills consume up to 20% of income.
• Aging infrastructure, contamination cleanup, and regulatory compliance are driving water rate hikes, with concerns that without increased public investment and local affordability programs, many communities may struggle to maintain safe water services.
• Industry groups acknowledge rising costs and affordability challenges but emphasize customer assistance programs and note that evaluating affordability without considering such programs may misrepresent the actual burden on consumers.