Devastating New Report on Water Affordability and Race in the U.S.

The Thurgood Marshall Institute of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund has released an in-depth report titled Water/Color: A Study of Race & the Water Affordability Crisis in America’s Cities. The report lays out the history of water infrastructure and pricing in the U.S., followed by detailed studies of affordability and race in Baltimore and Cleveland.  A legal analysis lays out the legal issues under domestic laws such as the Fair Housing Act as well as the human rights protections that are violated when household water becomes inaccessible because of rising costs.  Finally, the report reviews possible policy approaches to address this life- and health-threatening issue, examining local affordability plans such as Philadelphia’s as well as possible federal approaches.

The issue of rising water costs has been increasingly addressed by scholars, advocates, and international institutions.  Some communities, such as Philadelphia, have responded with concrete plans.  However, far too many local governments are still ignoring the devastating human impacts of unaffordable water, including the race-based discrimination that is an undercurrent.   As climate change progresses and extreme weather overwhelms our nation’s aging infrastructure, the challenge of providing water to all, regardless of race or income, will only increase.  

Let’s hope that the LDEF’s report will finally put this fundamental human rights issue squarely into the national conversation, as a common challenge that must be confronted and addressed by every level of government.