Chicago Water Affordability and Equity

In 2018, the average water bill was $40/month. The water bill has increased by 79% since 2008. The reason for this increase could be because the infrastructure for delivering water was built a long time ago and the cities are struggling to manage the water systems. While the water bill has increased by 79% over the ten years between 2008 and 2018, income has only increased by 27%. In order for a low-income household (a household in the lowest-earning quintile) to pay off their water bill, it takes up 11 work hours.