Could The Rising Cost Of Water Leave Some Mass. Residents Struggling To Pay The Bill?

The cost of water in Massachusetts has been steadily increasing in communities across the state, according to a report from Northeastern University.

In Boston, rates will rise more than 2.5% this year. But in other communities, water and sewage rates have increased more dramatically. In Pittsfield, sewage rates rose 50%, with water rates expected to jump 20%. In Winthrop, water rates rose 35% in January.

So, why are costs rising and what's being done to help keep water affordable?

Martha Davis, law professor at Northeastern and lead author of the Northeastern report: "A Drop in the Bucket: Water Affordability Policies in Twelve Massachusetts Communities." She is also an expert affiliate of WaterLex, an international NGO focused on protecting the human right to water.

Austin Faison, town manager of Winthrop, Mass.