6/27/2023 0 Comments Hidden water![]() ![]() Define the water access gap as a crisis.The federal government should update the Census to add Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WaSH) questions to accurately measure affected individuals nationwide–including reinstating a previously-removed question on the number of households without working toilets. Use data to bring visibility to communitiesĮstablish a dedicated Water and Sanitation Needs Working Group led by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to streamline data collection and information on the location and nature of household infrastructure gaps.The up-front investment required for new infrastructure is only $18.4 billion, less than Americans spend every year on ice cream. New and existing federal funding should be designated for technological innovation and system operation and maintenance. Expand and refocus federal and state funding for water infrastructureĪppropriate dedicated funds via Congress to close the water gap over the next 10 years.As this report shows, we can't afford not to.Ī Path Forward Want to close the water gap? This report provides a four-part Action Plan for regulators and policymakers looking to solve this problem for good. We can close America's water access gap in our lifetimes. In this report, DigDeep analyzed a wide variety of public health and economic data to calculate the price tag of life without a toilet or tap. These very real economic losses are felt first by the families living inside the water access gap, and then ripple outwards through their communities and into the entire national economy in the form of healthcare costs for uninsured individuals, labor market disruptions, and decreased economic activity. They have a higher risk of waterborne disease, Type II diabetes, physical injury, and acute mental stress, and must also shoulder the healthcare bills that follow. Adults and children spend hours each week hauling water from streams, wells, or grocery stores - hours taken away from work, studying, or playing. ![]() While most Americans take this basic infrastructure for granted, daily life looks very different for the families who live inside the water access gap. About the Report America’s hidden water crisis is costing the United States economy a staggering $8.58 billion each year.
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