Affordable Water is
a Human Right
SB 350
High utility costs are a major driver of water unaffordability in California. 1 in 3 California households struggle to pay their water bills. SB 350 by Senator Maria Elena Durazo would create a low-income water rate assistance program for all public water systems in California to help make water affordable for struggling families.
LOW-INCOME ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE FOR OTHER UTILITIES.
The water sector has long lacked a universal affordability program for low-income households. Plus, water rates consistently outpace inflation, as demonstrated by families paying 45% more per month for drinking water service in 2015 than in 2007 (State Water Board AB 401 Report). Additionally, a recent trade article found that water and sewer bills for a typical U.S. household have increased 24% in the past 5 years. Given these dual-crushing realities on families, we must quickly address this severe gap in our social safety net.
Lack of water access is proven to have devastating health impacts. For example, recent studies during the COVID-19 pandemic showed that maintaining access to water and other utilities resulted in lower transmission and mortality rates. When families cannot pay for water, they run the risk of having their water disconnected, losing access to tap water altogether.
We already have existing equivalent affordability programs for other utilities, such as gas and electricity, food, and even phone bills. Water is essential in life, not a luxury good. We must extend the proven utility affordability program model to water bills.
ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE SAFE DRINKING WATER IS A RACIAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY ISSUE.
Every Californian should have access to affordable safe drinking water, in fact, it has been California law for the last 12 years. Yet, studies consistently show that systems that serve low-income families and Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities are most likely to provide unaffordable water. We cannot address racial and economic injustice in California without addressing water affordability.
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