As the United States confronts an unprecedented crisis in water security, groundbreaking research spearheaded by a coalition of academic institutions reveals a stark reality: millions of Americans are increasingly vulnerable to challenges in accessing clean, affordable water. This alarming situation signals that the nation has crossed a critical threshold—widely referred to by experts as “peak water security”—where the confluence of deteriorating infrastructure, climate change acceleration, and insufficient policy response jeopardizes the fundamental human right to safe water. The findings, published in the esteemed journal PLOS Water, are the result of a multi-disciplinary effort co-led by Dr. Wendy Jepson, professor of geography and director of Environmental Programs at Texas A&M University.
Water security in the United States, long assumed to be a guarantee owing to the country’s wealth and technological prowess, is increasingly exposed as a multifaceted and urgent challenge impacting health outcomes, daily activities, and individual dignity. Dr. Jepson emphasizes that water insecurity cannot be viewed solely through the narrow lens of infrastructural decay or technical malfunction; it is a pervasive social issue that undermines quality of life across socio-economic strata. The crisis manifests not only in direct contamination incidents or supply disruptions but also in the psychological distress and economic burdens borne by households unable to reliably access safe water.
Central to this emerging understanding is what researchers describe as the “triple threat” fueling the decline in water security. First, decades of aging and failing water infrastructure have left many systems vulnerable to leaks, contamination, and interruptions. Second, the accelerating impacts of climate change—ranging from droughts to severe storms—exacerbate supply instability and water quality concerns. Third, and critically, policy frameworks and institutional responses have lagged behind these evolving challenges, hampered by bureaucratic inertia, underfunding, and fragmented governance structures. Together, these forces have pushed water security to a breaking point across numerous communities, particularly affecting the most marginalized and economically disadvantaged.
The inequities embedded in water access are stark and troubling. Low-income households and historically marginalized communities disproportionately bear the brunt of contamination, forced shutoffs, and exclusion from essential infrastructure upgrades. This reality challenges traditional assumptions of universal service and questions the equity principles underlying water management. Dr. Amber Pearson, a co-author and associate professor at Michigan State University, underscores the need for sophisticated metrics to accurately assess water insecurity—metrics that until now have been largely absent in U.S. contexts.
To fill this measurement gap, the research team adapted an innovative survey-based instrument known as the Household Water Insecurity Experiences (HWISE) scale. Originally developed for application in low-income countries, the HWISE scale has been rigorously tailored to capture the nuanced, everyday realities of water access in diverse American communities. Drawing on data from over 1,000 households across more than 15 high-risk locales, encompassing a sample of 2,770 individuals, the tool captures parameters such as frequency of water shortages, reliance on bottled water, avoidance behaviors, and associated stress levels stemming from insecurity.
Initial analyses affirm that the HWISE scale offers unprecedented insight into the experiential dimensions of water insecurity, transcending aggregate consumption metrics or infrastructure status alone. This approach elucidates how water challenges translate into tangible human suffering, enabling policymakers and public health officials to target interventions more precisely. Crucially, the scale can guide efforts to prioritize investments in water infrastructure rehabilitation, public health outreach, and tailored support for vulnerable populations, empowering systemic reform aimed at equity and sustainability.
The urgency for transformative water policy reform emerges as a dominant theme from the study. Researchers advocate for water to be recognized unequivocally as a basic human need and right—a foundational principle driving resource allocation, regulation, and community engagement. They call upon utilities, government agencies, and policy architects to adopt integrative, transparent strategies that respond not only to physical infrastructure demands but also to social determinants influencing water access and security. Such reform requires overcoming entrenched governance silos and embracing adaptive frameworks capable of responding to climate change’s dynamic threats.
Importantly, the water crisis in the United States is situated within a broader global context of escalating water insecurity, reinforcing the interconnectedness of environmental and social vulnerabilities. The research heralds a paradigm shift in understanding water beyond a mere commodity, highlighting its intrinsic linkage to human well-being, societal resilience, and environmental justice. The collaboration uniting experts from institutions including Texas A&M University, Michigan State University, University of Miami, Arizona State University, San Jose State University, and Portland State University exemplifies the interdisciplinary approach necessary to address these complex challenges effectively.
Moreover, the study emphasizes the critical role that comprehensive, data-driven tools can play in crafting evidence-based solutions. By systematically quantifying the lived experiences of water insecurity, the HWISE scale equips stakeholders with actionable insights to design more inclusive, sustainable interventions. The anticipation is that continued research leveraging this tool will illuminate regional disparities, monitor temporal trends, and evaluate the efficacy of policy changes, thereby catalyzing a virtuous cycle of accountability and improvement.
The nexus of degrading infrastructure, climate change, and policy shortfalls is compounded by economic and racial inequalities, underscoring the ethical imperative to center equity in water governance. Addressing these intersecting stressors demands not only technical repair and modernization efforts but also meaningful community participation, transparent decision-making, and long-term commitment to environmental stewardship. The research team’s findings illuminate the pathways through which systemic neglect can be reversed to restore trust, health, and security in water services across the nation.
This research project received support from distinguished funding bodies, including the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, reflecting its significance and impact. The collaborative nature of the endeavor, bolstered by initiatives such as the Texas A&M Chancellor’s EDGES Fellowship and Arizona Water Innovation Initiative, exemplifies how academic leadership can drive forward pressing environmental and societal issues.
In a country often considered insulated from water insecurity, these findings sound a sobering call to action. They challenge conventional narratives about infrastructure sufficiency and urge a reevaluation of water governance through a human-centric lens, acknowledging the lived realities of those grappling with access daily. The stakes — public health, economic stability, social equity — demand bold, immediate reforms that transcend alignment with narrow bureaucratic or fiscal interests, placing human dignity and sustainability at their core.
For those invested in the future of American water security, the research presented here not only diagnoses the profound challenges but also offers a potent toolkit for transformation. The integration of experiential metrics into policy and management heralds an era where water is managed not as a static resource but as a living necessity intertwined with environmental dynamics and social justice imperatives. This work charts a path forward to reclaiming and sustaining water security for all Americans, breaking through the shadows that have long obscured the crisis beneath.
Subject of Research: Water security and household-scale experiential metrics assessing water insecurity in the United States.
Article Title: Beyond peak water security: Household-scale experiential metrics can offer new perspectives on contemporary water challenges in the United States
News Publication Date: 12-Aug-2025
Web References:
References:
Jepson, W., Pearson, A., et al. (2025). Beyond peak water security: Household-scale experiential metrics can offer new perspectives on contemporary water challenges in the United States. PLOS Water. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pwat.0000413
Image Credits: Dr. Wendy Jepson/Texas A&M University College of Arts and Sciences
Keywords: Water resources, Environmental monitoring, Environmental sciences, Water supply, Engineering, Sustainable development, Underdeveloped areas, Earth sciences, Geography, Natural resources management, Climate change, Water pipes, Structural design, Observational studies, Population studies, Science policy, Scientific organizations
