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A Snapshot of Water and Sewer Affordability in the United States, 2019
Author(s) -
Teodoro Manuel P.,
Saywitz Robin Rose
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal ‐ american water works association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.466
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1551-8833
pISSN - 0003-150X
DOI - 10.1002/awwa.1551
Subject(s) - wage , percentile , service (business) , water industry , economics , business , labour economics , agricultural economics , water resource management , water supply , environmental science , environmental engineering , statistics , mathematics , economy
Key Takeaways In 2019, US utilities on average charged the equivalent of 10.1 hours’ labor at minimum wage for basic monthly water and sewer service for a four‐person household. Basic water and sewer service cost an average of 12.4% of disposable income for a four‐person household at the 20th percentile income. US water and sewer service on average became less affordable over the past two years, varying by region and utility ownership, driven by increasing water and nonwater prices.