Map Shows States With Most Expensive Water Bills as Prices Surge
Necessary upgrades to ageing pipes and private ownership have been pointed to as some of the reasons behind the recent spike.
A new report reveals that Americans are paying significantly more for water than in the past decade. Drinking-water bills have surged by 62% between 2015 and 2025, more than double the rate of inflation and nearly 1.6 times faster than grocery costs during the same period. The average household paid $531 for water in 2025, with local system costs ranging from a low of $133 to a high of $1,416.
The top 10 most expensive states for drinking water were primarily in the southern and western regions, with West Virginia experiencing the fastest increases, driven by depopulation trends and fewer customers to spread upgrade costs. Private ownership of water systems is largely responsible for the high costs and rapid increases, with for-profit corporations charging households an average of $823 compared to $494 charged by publicly owned systems.
Without federal support and regulation, water bills are projected to continue rising, threatening the affordability and accessibility of safe, locally controlled water for all households.
Written by urgent.news from Newsweek's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
