US water and energy bills surge past inflation

· Climate · United States

A first-of-its-kind report from nonprofit Food & Water Watch found that the average US community water system raised household drinking water prices by 62 percent between 2015 and 2025, outpacing inflation, grocery prices and median household income. The findings land as energy affordability dominates election-season debate; contests for governor in Virginia and New Jersey and for utility regulators in Georgia have centred on rising bills, even as fewer candidates mention climate change. Together the data point to mounting consumer cost pressure across basic utility services.

Why it matters：Utility affordability is becoming the political battleground for climate policy, as rising water and power bills test public tolerance for infrastructure and decarbonisation spending.

Key points

  • Drinking water prices rose 62 percent on average from 2015 to 2025.
  • The increase exceeded inflation, grocery prices and median household income.
  • Energy affordability has become a central issue in Virginia, New Jersey and Georgia races.

Sources (original reporting)

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