Affordability

What Constitutes Accurate Pricing of Water?

affordability

Pricing of water services for customers should be an accurate representation of the cost of providing safe water to consumers, maintain infrastructure and plan for future infrastructure replacement needs. Implementing public education plans on water sector operations and costs can help to maintain customer satisfaction and help water utilities meet essential infrastructure needs.

Five leading water associations urge Congress to create a low-income water assistance program

The American Water Works Association (AWWA), Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA), National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), National Association of Water Companies (NAWC) and Water Environment Federation (WEF) unveiled formal policy recommendations to Congress and the White House to establish a permanent federal low-income water assistance program. As part of their recommendations, the groups released also released a detailed analysis, “Low-Income Water Customer Assistance Program (LIWCAP) Assessment Study,” which establishes that water affordability is a significant challenge for 20 million U.S. households and puts the annual need for federal funding to address this challenge as high as $7.9 billion.

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New affordability document aims to better address affordability in Safe Drinking Water Act Rulemakings

Improving the Evaluation of Household-Level Affordability in SDWA Rulemaking: New Approaches,” is an expert panel led report, facilitated by AWWA, discussing the methods that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) could perform analysis of household-level affordability when making regulatory decisions.

The expert panel recommended EPA expand its analysis of household-level affordability when performing economic analyses supporting future primary regulatory development under SDWA. Among the suggested changes is to move away from using Median Household Income (MHI) as the sole metric in assessing the impacts of the regulatory structure on affordability and focus more on impacts to households in the lowest 20 percent of income (lowest quintile).  

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AWWA Policy Statements

AWWA's policy statements are brief statements on protecting and improving water supply, water quality, management, and the interests of the public and the environment. They are written by consensus, subject to review and comment by AWWA committees, councils, and members. Because they represent AWWA's position on these matters, they are approved by the AWWA Executive Committee of the board of directors.

Technical Committee Engagement

AWWA members are recognized globally for their industry expertise and their generosity in sharing that expertise for a better world through better water. AWWA members participate in committee activities, developing conference programs, writing technical manuals, developing standards, creating educational content and contributing to AWWA publications. Committee members primarily interact through conference calls, emails, and face to face meetings at conferences and events. Access more information on volunteering for an AWWA committee.

The following committees are active in addressing affordability issues:

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