Water Equity
Black, Indigenous, Communities of Color, and low-income communities face extreme structural disparities in affordability, water quality concerns, flooding, and more. Yet water can be a force for equity and opportunity. With the imperative for racial justice and the historic federal investment in water infrastructure in the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, people and organizations across the water sector are making meaningful progress in addressing these structural disparities that have existed for too long. We have the responsibility—and the opportunity—to advance an equitable water future for all.
Water Equity Definition
Water equity refers to just and fair inclusion—a condition in which everyone has an opportunity to participate and prosper. Water equity occurs when all communities have access to clean, safe, affordable drinking water and wastewater services; are resilient in the face of floods, drought, and other climate risks; have a role in decision-making processes related to water management in their communities; and share in the economic, social, and environmental benefits of water systems.
