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Comment by microcolonel | Hacker News Reader

> Water bills that exceed 4 percent of household income are considered unaffordable.

This seems extremely arbitrary. It's not that they can't afford water, it's that it's a relatively important expense rather than a trivial one. Most people in these income brackets don't even pay water bills directly.

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"Amid rising costs and diminishing federal dollars, the use of punitive measures—shutoffs and liens (a legal claim on the house linked to a debt which can lead to foreclosure)—is widespread. Just like mortgage foreclosures, water shutoffs and liens can force affected households to abandon their homes."

and

"In 2014, shortly after filing the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history, the city launched a massive shutoff program and has since disconnected at least 141,000 households, according to records obtained by news website Bridge."

Sounds like they can't afford water.

https://www.sida.se/contentassets/700b0d2b48444b058389c27a64... "Affordability: Less than 5% of household income spent on WSS services." "Sweden has also underscored that richer states have an obligation to assist other states to fulfil the right to WSS." "In addition, Sida offers credits and guarantees for WSS investments as well as international training programs,..."

Bangladesh, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Kenya and Mali are mentioned. But it doesn't seem Sweden would set up a water and sanitation services programme for the US.

"Through development cooperation, Sweden assists countries in Africa, Asia, Europé and Latin America."

The US is not poorer than Sweden, unlike the other countries mentioned. It's just that the US doesn't want to spend money on that. They like to keep their soaring inequalities.

Agree... There are plenty of items to cut from the budget first: tattoos, cigarettes, fast food, soda, energy drinks, Netflix, iPhones, or... Just moving to a cheaper area to live that's not an expensive coastal city.

I think you're confused. This article is about people on very low incomes in places like Tucson and Detroit, not hipsters.

Entirely regardless of any cuts made to the expenses side of things, can we agree that having to spend 4% of household income on water in a developed country is absolutely bonkers?

Isn't everyone insolvent, in 2020?

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