Hotter, drier weather could double water bills in some cities, Stanford study finds
Hotter, drier conditions could leave millions of Americans struggling to afford tap water. The cost of drought resilience measures, such as desalination plants, will likely fall on ratepayers, with the greatest impact on low-income and minority communities, according to the research.
July 8, 2026
By Rob Jordan
Santa Cruz boardwalk
An analysis shows that measures taken to adapt to less water availability could lead to a near doubling of median water bills in Santa Cruz, California (pictured) by mid-century.
In brief:
Hotter, drier conditions driven by climate change could nearly double water bills in some cities by mid-century, according to a Stanford-led study.
Researchers found that costly drought-resilience projects, such as desalination and water reuse systems, could push many low-income households into severe water affordability crises.
The study suggests current financing models are ill-equipped to balance reliable water supplies with affordable access as climate pressures intensify.
Hotter, drier weather threatens to double water bills by mid-century in some cities, according to a Stanford-led study. The research, published July 8 in Nature Sustainability, is the first to comprehensively model how climate change, infrastructure investment, and household water demand can combine to compound an already growing affordability crisis.
https://woods.stanford.edu/news/hotter-drier-weather-could-double-water-bills-some-cities-stanford-study-finds
