Americans Rank Water Reliability Alongside Cost Of Living As A Top National Priority

By Kevin Westerling,
@KevinOnWater

Reliable access to water now ranks alongside inflation and the cost of living as one of the most important national issues for U.S. voters, according to the 2026 Value of Water Index, the latest national survey conducted by the Value of Water Campaign, a coalition focused on elevating public understanding of water infrastructure and services.

The poll, conducted February 21–26, 2026, surveyed more than 1,000 voters nationwide and was carried out by the bipartisan research teams of Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates and New Bridge Strategy. The findings build on a decade of polling by the Value of Water Campaign to track how public attitudes toward water infrastructure, affordability, and investment are evolving.

This year’s results reflect mounting pressure on water systems from multiple directions — aging infrastructure, rising service costs, extreme weather, and emerging large‑scale demands such as data centers — even as voters continue to express strong support for investing in water infrastructure and for the policymakers who champion it.

Water Joins Inflation At The Top Of Voter Concerns

Among 17 national issues tested in the survey, 92% of voters rated ensuring a reliable water supply as “very” or “extremely” important, ranking essentially on par with reducing inflation and the cost of living (93%).

Other water‑related issues also scored highly, including addressing drinking water contamination, reforming the healthcare system, and strengthening the economy. When voters were asked specifically how additional investment in water projects should be used, ensuring drinking water is safe ranked highest, followed closely by identifying and removing lead pipes and service lines.

The results suggest that voters increasingly view water as a core public service tied closely to health, affordability, and economic resilience — rather than as a background infrastructure issue.

Concern Grows Over Cost And Confidence

While voters place a high value on safe and reliable water, confidence at the household level appears under strain.

According to the Value of Water Campaign’s poll:

• 61% of voters say the cost of water service is very or extremely important, up substantially from prior years.
• More than a quarter of voters say their water service is unaffordable, the highest level recorded since the survey began.
• 69% report concern about the drinking water in their community, continuing a steady rise over the past five years.

Overall, the results suggest voters increasingly see affordability pressures and system reliability challenges as interconnected, rather than separate issues — an added layer of complexity for utilities facing rising costs and infrastructure needs.

Voters Support Investment, Even When Costs Are Explicit

Despite growing concern over costs, support for investing in water infrastructure remains strong.

The Value of Water Index found that:

• 61% of voters would support a ballot measure to fund water infrastructure even if it required a small increase in taxes.
• 78% support allocating more state and local funding to water infrastructure projects overall.
• Support for investment cuts across age, income, political party, race, and geography.

The results reinforce a pattern that utilities and policymakers have observed in recent years: voters tend to separate concerns about household affordability from opposition to infrastructure investment, particularly when benefits such as reliability, safety, and local impact are clearly defined.

Political Upside For Water Investment

The poll also highlights the political implications of water policy.

Nearly seven in ten voters say they would view an elected official more favorably if that official supported increased investment in water infrastructure, while a comparable share say they would view officials who oppose such investments less favorably.

For utilities and industry stakeholders, the data suggests that water infrastructure remains an area of broad public agreement, with limited political downside for elected leaders who engage on the issue.

Extreme Weather And New Demands Shape Expectations

A growing share of voters report personal experience with water system stressors.

• More than half of voters say they have lived in an area affected by a major weather event — including floods, wildfires, droughts, or deep freezes — in the past five years.
• Nearly half report experiencing water service disruptions, shortages, or contamination as a result.

New to the 2026 edition of the Value of Water Index are questions about data centers and AI‑driven growth. The poll found that a majority of voters are concerned about the potential impact of data centers on water supply, quality, and cost, and say it is important for policymakers to plan for those impacts.

A Decade‑Long Picture Of Rising Expectations

Taken together, the 2026 Value of Water Index underscores what the Value of Water Campaign describes as a shift in public expectations: voters increasingly recognize water as essential to daily life and economic stability, are aware of emerging pressures on systems, and broadly support investment to address those challenges — including state‑ and local‑level funding mechanisms — even as affordability concerns continue to rise.

For the water sector, the results suggest growing public awareness, sustained support for infrastructure funding, and increased scrutiny around how systems are planned, financed, and managed.