Water limitation disproportionately affects socially vulnerable populations in the U.S., creating problems for equitable access to clean water.
About 26.7 million people, or 8% of the population, live in areas of high or severe water limitation.1 The availability of clean water for our communities is affected by factors like water quantity, quality, and flow, as well as social factors like water infrastructure, access, and rights. Socioeconomic status, access to resources, and the availability of public services can determine a community’s adaptive capacity. The adaptive capacity ultimately affects how vulnerable or resilient a community may be when faced with water-availability limitations.
