According to CBS News, the cost of drinking water for Americans has risen sharply amid persistently high inflation. A new study by the nonprofit Food & Water Watch shows that American households are currently paying 62% more for residential water than they did a decade ago. The organization's study of 500 water systems averaged $531 last year. The government-operated water system in Hempstead, New York, charged residents the lowest average annual fee in the study at $133 last year. At the other end of the spectrum is San Jose, California, where the privately owned San Jose Water Company will charge residents an average of $1,416 in 2025, a 163% increase from ten years ago. Idaho has the lowest overall water prices, with its three largest water systems averaging $286 in 2025. West Virginia has the highest prices, with its two largest water systems averaging $1,383 annually. Food & Water Watch states that water costs are even higher in counties where water systems are operated by for-profit companies. These private companies will charge an average of $823 for water in 2025, $329 more than the public water supply system.
