Water shutoffs report: Black communities more likely to lack access to clean water in America

Water is a basic need, but people in America lose access to clean water each day.

More than 2 million Americans are living without access to clean water. A new report from the U.S. Water Alliance analyzed water shutoffs in eight cities and found that shutoffs are four times longer in majority-black communities.

According to its analysis, low-income households are struggling with rising rates.

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"We wanted to understand the policies, practices, and impacts of shutting off water access to folks due to their inability to pay water bills," says Mami Hara, with the U.S. Water Alliance. "The work we do, day by day, is to lift up the voice of people who are underrepresented in our community."

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Climate change is also taxing aging infrastructure and driving up costs for utilities and households.

"It might include things like dwindling source waters due to drought, or a disruptive climate can bring on events like flooding, which can overwhelm water systems," says Hara.

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Severe storms and flooding this summer led to a water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi – and in many coastal North Carolina communities, sea level rise is causing high tide flooding and frequently overwhelming infrastructure.

"We all have to really advocate for a nationwide approach to funding water as an essential common good," says Hara.

They are aiming to find a solution that allows utilities to adapt – and more Americans to access clean water.

For those served by Raleigh water and struggling to pay bills, the utility says it has a payment plan option available to avoid a shutoff.