Water Affordability Article References MPC Analysis
As Chicagoans Brace for Higher Water Bills, Groups Push for Affordability Reforms
Water rates have more than doubled since 2010. Low-income residents feel the pinch most of all.
By Christiana Freitag, Inside Climate News
Published May 31, 2025
Inside Climate News reported on the recent water bill increase seen by Chicagoans and the push for affordability reforms by water advocates. The article cites data from a 2022 report, the City of Chicago Water Affordability Analysis, collaborated on by Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) and Elevate which shows that water burden – the percentage of a household’s income that goes toward paying water bills – in Chicago is significant.
Key findings in the report:
- Water affordability is not an issue confined to single-family homes. Multi-family buildings, particularly two-unit buildings, have the highest rates of bill nonpayment and the highest levels of water debt over time.
- Water burden in Chicago is not evenly distributed. Census tracts with a majority Black, Hispanic, and/or Asian population face on average a higher water burden while using comparatively less water than accounts in majority white tracts. Notably, census tracts with a majority Black population pay on average 19% of their income on water bills.
- Residential customers without a water meter generally pay significantly more for their water bill than customers with meters. In 2019, nonmetered customers in Chicago paid on average $500 more for water than metered customers. The same non-metered customers also have higher water debt and water burden.