Plumbing Poverty in U.S. Cities

A new detailed report finds an increase in households without running water — what the authors call “plumbing poverty” — in some of America’s wealthiest and fastest-growing cities. These cities include the San Francisco, Portland, Austin, Nashville and Seattle metropolitan areas.

The report finds a clear connection between unaffordable housing, wealth gaps in major cities and plumbing poverty, as households of color and renters disproportionately live without running water in their homes. This is particularly true for households that spend 40-50% of their monthly income on rent despite not having access to running water.

Analyzing data trends from two decades, from 2000 to 2017, the researchers find that San Francisco has the highest share of households without running water, followed by Portland, Milwaukee, San Antonio and Austin (in ranking order). Access to piped water for households in these cities has deteriorated since 2000. Between 2000 and 2017, Los Angeles “improved” to 7th place. But there are still 44,200 people without running water.

Across the United States, nearly 460,000 households, or approximately 1.1 million people, now lack running water in their homes. 73% of households without piped water are in urban areas, 29% of which are in the 15 metropolitan areas featured in this report.

The research was led by Katie Meehan from the Department of Geography at King's College London. Meehan is also a Ph.D. Graduate of the UArizona School of Geography, Development and Environment. Jason Jurjevich, associate professor of practice, and graduate student Nicholas Chun — both at the University of Arizona School of Geography, Development and Environment — co-authored the report.

Phoenix is ​​one of the cities featured in the report:

• Since 2000, the poverty rate in the sanitation sector has been stable or “stagnant.” However, the situation for renter households has worsened.
• Tenants earn less and pay more to live in a home without running water. 51% of households without piped water are renters, and their rents increased by $250 (38%) between 2000 and 2017, while their average income fell by $230 (10%).
• The authors argue that “stagnation” equals “no progress” toward universal access to water.

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Read the full press release from King's College London

Report: Sanitation Poverty in U.S. Cities: A Report on Gaps and Trends in Household Water Access