Exploring Emerging Utility-led Innovations in Water Affordability
Affordability of water and wastewater (“water”) utility bills is a growing concern for many Americans, with water rates rising faster than the cost of most other goods and services. This is adding pressure to households already struggling to pay bills, forcing them to make difficult decisions between basic needs such as energy, housing, food, and medicine. Many water utilities have been addressing affordability concerns from several angles, such as offering assistance and affordability programs, pausing shutoffs, evaluating and adjusting rates to reduce the ongoing burden on households, offering alternative bill payment options, updating customer service policies, and incorporating more compassionate outreach, among other approaches.
Project Scope
- Research and Analyses
- Equity Considerations
- Stakeholder Workshops
- Private and Public Sector Engagement
- Program Evaluation and Documentation
With funding from the Water Research Foundation, CIS, along with the Pacific Institute, the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), and the University of North Carolina’s Environmental Finance Center (UNC-EFC), documented emerging utility-led affordability innovations across a variety of contexts and geographies. The project included a landscape review to identify exemplary affordability programs and approaches employed by U.S. utilities and convened workshops with partner utilities and experts to gain deeper insight into the costs, benefits, and feasibility of implementing these efforts.
Utilities nationwide have been addressing affordability challenges by offering customer assistance programs, pausing shutoffs, adjusting rate structures, offering alternative payment plans, updating customer service policies, and implementing more compassionate outreach strategies.
The project team evaluated the costs, benefits, and feasibility of different strategies, assessed their potential to ease household burdens, and developed a final report in a guidebook format to help utilities and stakeholders improve the responsiveness and effectiveness of water affordability programs.
Results
The project produced a final report that documents innovative water affordability approaches, summarizes key lessons learned, and provides actionable recommendations. Findings were shared through blog posts, a webinar, conference presentations, and the final report to help utilities and stakeholders strengthen water affordability programs across the United States.
Partners
Water Research Foundation
Pacific Institute
University of California Los Angeles
North Carolina Environmental Finance Center
Timeline
2023 – 2025