California, Facing $1 Billion Unpaid Water Fees, Isn’t Alone (1)

More than 1.6 million households in California owe an estimated $1 billion in unpaid water bills or fees, and much of the debt comes in disadvantaged areas that have been experiencing the heaviest toll of the coronavirus pandemic.

The average California water debt about is about $500, but more than 155,000 households are estimated to owe more than $1,000 to their water supplier, according to data released Tuesday by the State Water Resources Control Board.

The data is the state’s first comprehensive look at water debt in the Covid era, according to the control board chairman. It also provides insight ...