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A study by the nonprofit Food and Water Watch reveals that American households are paying 62% more for water now compared to a decade ago, with costs varying widely across different regions and utilities. The study attributes rising expenses to increased infrastructure investments and climate change adaptation efforts, noting declining federal support for water systems. In 2025, the average annual water bill among 500 large U.S. community water systems was $531, but prices ranged from a low of $133 in Hempstead, New York, to as high as $1,416 in San Jose, California. Private sector companies tended to charge more than public utilities for water services.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Food & Water Watch, a Washington DC-based non-profit, reports that US households are paying 62% more for drinking water than they did a decade ago. The study analyzed billing data from the 500 largest community water systems in the US serving about 155 million people, or roughly 45% of the country's population. In 2025, the average household using 60,000 gallons of water paid $531 for drinking water service, marking a significant increase from the previous decade. This rise outpaces overall inflation, which has increased by 39%, and is double the rate of grocery price increases at 30%.
The American Water Works Association (AWWA) cites infrastructure renewal, resilience, and regulatory requirements as key cost drivers threatening drinking water affordability. The AWWA predicts that if communities rely solely on revenue from water bills to address these needs, average annual household drinking water bills would rise from $429 in 2025 to $969 by 2050, more than doubling in real terms. Additionally, federal support for the nation's water infrastructure has declined; since fiscal year 2022, Congress has appropriated at least $1 billion below authorized funding levels for a federal fund supporting state water projects.
Written for “Water Price Increase Usa” on 2026-10-07,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
-
Federal support for the nation's water infrastructure has declined.
left criticizes lack of government funding
-
The average water bill across the 500 systems Food and Water Watch studied was $531 last year. However, the amount someone pays can vary widely depending on where they live.
left emphasizes inequality in cost burden
-
The state with the lowest overall bills was Idaho, where three of its largest water systems charged an average of $286 in 2025. West Virginia, which has some of the highest poverty rates in the country, had the highest bills.
left links high costs to areas with higher poverty
Leaning: leans left for article 63128 (high confidence, 3 verified quotes) · logged 2026-10-07
Americans aren't only paying more for food amid stubbornly high inflation — the cost of washing it down has also surged.
asserted
cost → pay → it
Water costs have shot up across the U.S., with a new study by the nonprofit advocacy group Food and Water Watch showing that households are paying 62% more for water at home than a decade ago.
asserted
households → shoot → home
Those expenses are rising as utilities invest more in aging infrastructure and in adapting their systems to cope with the effects of climate change, Food and Water Watch said in its study.
asserted
Watch → rise → study
Federal support for the nation's water infrastructure has declined.
asserted
support → decline → infrastructure
The 2025 Infrastructure Report Card, an evaluation by the American Society of Civil Engineers, said that since fiscal year 2022, Congress has appropriated at least $1 billion below the authorized funding levels for a federal fund that supports state water infrastructure projects.
asserted
that → say → projects
A 2023 survey by the Environmental Protection Agency projects that drinking water systems across the U.S. will need $625 billion in investment over the next two years to implement upgrades and meet health requirements.
asserted
systems → project → requirements
Food and Water Watch based its findings on data from 500 of the largest community water systems around the country that serve a combined 155 million people.
asserted
that → base → people
More specifically, Food and Water Watch looked at how much utilities charged for 60,000 gallons of water, the estimated amount households use for drinking, showering, laundry and similar purposes in a year.
asserted
households → look → year
The study did not include bills for wastewater or stormwater, which are managed by separate utilities.
asserted
which → include → utilities
How are water costs changing across the country?
asserted
costs → change → country
The average water bill across the 500 systems Food and Water Watch studied was $531 last year.
asserted
Watch → study → systems
However, the amount someone pays can vary widely depending on where they live.
asserted
they → pay → ?
The government-run water system in Hempstead, New York, charged people an average of $133 a year last year, the lowest rate of the systems examined in the study.
asserted
system → run → study
On the other end of the spectrum is San Jose, California, where the private-sector company San Jose Water charged residents an average of $1,416 in 2025, up 163% from a decade ago, the group found.
asserted
group → charge → 2025
The state with the lowest overall bills was Idaho, where three of its largest water systems charged an average of $286 in 2025.
asserted
three → charge → 2025
West Virginia, which has some of the highest poverty rates in the country, had the highest bills.
asserted
which → have → bills
The two largest systems there, owned by American Water, charged an average of $1,383 a year, according to Food and Water Watch.
uncertain
systems → own → Watch
Costs were higher in counties where water systems are run by for-profit corporations, the group said.
asserted
group → run → corporations
Those private companies charged an average of $823 for water in 2025, $329 more than what the public systems charged.
asserted
systems → charge → what
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