WATER bills are continuing to become more expensive for some Americans this summer.
Except, five-minute phone call and a few crucial moves could help lower the climbing costs.
Water bills are slowly increasing for Americans in 2025 (stock image)[/caption]
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) report from earlier this spring saw the price of water, sewer, and trash collection increase to 4.9%, which was higher than an overall CPI increase of 2.4%.
This was also reflected in findings from Bank of America, with water utility payments specifically up 7.1% in March compared to the same time in 2024.
So, what can Americans do to combat the spikes?
The best first step is to give the utility company a call.
A simple call can help you understand your water, sewer, and electricity usage patterns, help schedule appointments to fix leaks or make upgrades, and even go over a comprehensive bill review.
Doing this can eliminate potential problems such as unnecessary usage and make utilities more efficient to lower costs as much as possible.
Residents can also do their best to mitigate water usage as much as possible, by not leaving sinks running for a long time while doing dishes or washing up.
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?
Increases in water costs have been linked to failings in US water infrastructure and policies aimed at reducing harmful chemicals in supply.
Tricia Anklan, partner at water utilities and electric consulting firm, West Monroe, emphasized this while speaking with Yahoo Finance.
Anklan explained there’s been “bit of a rate shock right now in the short term,” but it’s mostly due to “some of the new [water] treatment standards that have passed in the last couple of years.”
“It’s a major infrastructure investment,” she added.
The treatment systems have been put in place to abide by the 2024 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules limiting the “forever chemicals” or PFAS sometimes present in water.
Also, non-harmful chemicals used in the treatment process are now facing tariffs, potentially increasing the price.
“A lot of the chemicals used in the water treatment process come from outside of the United States,” Anklan told the publication.
Top Tips to Save on Water Bills
- Call your utility company
- Schedule appointments to fix leaks and upgrade equipment
- Get a comprehensive bill review to see usage trends
- Mitigate usage by not leaving sinks running, or having terribly long showers or baths
- Fully load the washer and dishwasher before using
“With the uncertainty about tariffs, those could have a downstream increase on our costs.”
INCOME-BASED IMPACT
Right now, higher-income households are seeing the biggest increase in water costs, according to the Bank of America study.
This is likely due to property sizes being larger, meaning more water is used.
Still, lower-income Americans pay more for water as a percentage of their income, increasing the risk of them falling into “water debt.”
On average, at least 20% of US households have the debt as of this year, per Brookings.
TEXAN TURMOIL
Select Texans who get their water through New Braunfels Utilities will also pay more this year and next year, per the San Antonio Express-News.
This month, the company’s board of trustees confirmed overall utility price hikes in 2025 and 2026 in part because of the new infrastructure needs.
The water rate uptick is the highest at 9.9% spikes each year.
That means a customer using just 3,000 gallons of water per month would have the monthly cost bump from $22.50 to $24.73 this year, and then to $27.18 in 2026.
For 6,000 gallons it would be $38.10 to $41.87 and then $46.02.
Energy bills have also skyrocketed to an average of $784, the highest in 12 years.
A simple switch could make way for savings of about 30% on energy bills every year and keep living spaces cool in the summer months.
