DigDeep, a human rights non-profit working to ensure that every American has clean, running water forever, recently released a new report entitled: “Draining: The Economic Impact of America’s Hidden Water Crisis.” The report provides an in-depth analysis of the costs and benefits of extending water and sanitation access to every home in the United States. According to the report:

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More than 1.57 million Americans live without a toilet or tap at home, costing the U.S. economy $8.58 billion every year.
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The $8.58 billion annual figure averages out to $15,800 per household in health care, time spent collecting and paying for bottled water, loss of time at work and school and premature death.
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Every year, the water access gap causes 219,000 cases of waterborne illness; 36,400 new cases of diabetes and people without running water are 30 times more likely to contract a related disease. There are also 610 premature deaths each year.
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There are 71,000 additional cases of mental health conditions per year; $183 million in additional medical bills per year; and $35 million in lost annual earnings due to depression.
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The water access gaps causes an annual loss of $1 billion in U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
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DigDeep recommends investing $42.5 billion to close the water gap. Extending water and sanitation access to every American will create economic prosperity; the economic benefits of closing the water access gap outweigh the costs by nearly 5 to 1. For every public or private dollar invested in expanding access to running water and flush toilets, the economy gains $4.65 in societal return. This means closing the water access gap could unlock nearly $200 billion of economic value over the next 50 years.

To read the full report, visit www.digdeep.org/draining