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Cost of Water

Monthly water and wastewater bills for the 50 largest U.S. cities average $91.06
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"The cost of water is rising. Residential water bills have steadily increased by 5.7% annually over the past five years, outpacing average annual income growth (5%) and inflation (1.9%) and magnifying the financial challenges facing municipal water utilities.
Erin Bonney Casey, Bluefield Research Director

Related News

Water costs balloon in cities along the Great Lakes

The Great Lakes are an indispensable source of drinking water for more than 48 million people in the U.S. and Canada. But in six large cities on the shorelines, residents are facing a cost crisis. PBS NewsHour 12 Mar 2019

Stemming the Tide of Rising Utility Costs

Of the issues facing utilities, financing — or lack thereof — ranks at or near the top of most lists. During this Water Talk, Reese Tisdale, President of Bluefield Research, discusses the rise in operating expenses (OPEX) over the past 10 years, explains the reasons and repercussions, and forecasts where costs will go from here. Water Online 31 Oct 2018

Report: Annual OPEX for water and wastewater utilities nearing $100 billion

According to a recent 2018-2027 forecast by Bluefield Research, operating expenditures (OPEX) for water and wastewater utilities continue to climb at a steady clip. Over the last 10 years, utilities’ OPEX has risen 15 percent, reaching the $79 billion mark in 2017. Water Finance & Management 24 Sep 2018

Related Bluefield Analysis

10 Sep 2018

U.S. Municipal Utility Operating Expenditure (OPEX) Forecast, 2018-2027

Public spending on U.S. municipal water and wastewater systems has climbed steadily over time, driven by rising labor costs, increasing material prices, and growing demand to maintain aging, less effi... »

18 Jul 2018

Ann Arbor Takes Controversial Approach to New Water, Sewer Rate Structures in Bid for Equity

On 1 July 2018, Ann Arbor’s new, controversial water rates went into effect. Under the new rate structure, single-family residential customers would pay increasingly higher rates for using large amo... »

21 Jun 2018

U.S. Municipal Rates: Water & Wastewater Utility Index, 2018

Across the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S., monthly water bills average US$40.35 and monthly wastewater bills average US$56.00.  Combined water and wastewater bills have increased an avera... »

20 Nov 2017

Declining Construction Spend Raises Questions for Water Sector

In September 2017, the U.S. Census’ monthly construction report further highlighted a downward trajectory in water supply and sewage and waste disposal spend. This negative trend, which has been ong... »

19 Jun 2017

U.S. Municipal Water and Wastewater Utility Bill Index, 2017

Across the 50 largest US metropolitan areas, water utility bills average US$38.06 monthly and wastewater bills average US$53.81, based on average household consumption within each respective state. R... »

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From Los Angeles to El Paso, U.S. cities are investing in potable reuse #DrinkingWater #ToilettoTap #WaterReuse #WastewaterTreatment bluefieldresearch.com/t/water… pic.twitter.com/zlEz6hsqkw

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