Water affordability isn't just about the size of a bill — it's about the impossible choices families are forced to make to pay it.
Janet Clements, President of One Water Econ, cuts through the policy jargon with a definition that hits close to home for millions of Americans.
Affordability means no household faces economic hardship to keep their water running. And economic hardship, in real terms, means trade-offs that put your health at risk — choosing between paying the water bill and keeping the lights on, or skipping a nutritious meal to avoid a shutoff notice.
These aren't hypothetical scenarios. The AWWA's Beyond the Replacement Era report estimates that if the $56.6 billion annual funding gap is closed entirely through rate increases, more than 53 million households could face some level of financial stress by 2050.
The water sector has long talked about affordability in percentages and thresholds. Clements reminds us it's really about people.
Episode at https://bit.ly/2trillion4water
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