The Center for Water Security and Cooperation (CWSC) recently published two discussion papers analyzing access to water and sanitation. One paper sets forth a global definition of "Access" to water and sanitation to chart a path for lasting progress. The second paper makes the case for repealing laws in the United States that allow water to be shut off to low-income households for their inability to pay the water bill.
In the United States, economic access is a construct of law. While existing laws allow for access to water to be denied to households without the financial resources to pay for water, the law can just as easily protect that access instead. To protect economic access to water for low-income households, one step is needed: do not use the law to punish those who cannot pay their water bills.
CWSC (2021). Ending Water Shutoffs: Deconstructing the law's punishment of poverty CWSC
English
Published in: 2021
Pages: 13
Publisher:
CWSC
Author(s):
CWSC
Uploaded by:
The CWSC
The Center for Water Security and Cooperation