Defining And Measuring Water Affordability: A Literature Review

Concern over water service affordability has grown in recent years as water bills escalate at a faster pace than the overall cost-of-living. While the cost of water has been rising over the past decade, the ability of consumers to pay for water service has declined. This review examines the definition and measurement of water affordability through a chronological search and presentation of the regulatory and research literature. Results will be used to determine a method for measuring water affordability for the northeastern Illinois region. Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, the Metropolitan Planning Council and Elevate Energy collaborated on this report as part of a larger initiative to research and explore the extent to which communities in the northeastern Illinois region are facing challenges to water affordability, and identify opportunities to address these concerns.