Climate Change Threatens Drinking Water Access Across US

Study finds 67 million Americans served by water utilities at high risk from climate hazards

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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A new study published in Communications Earth & Environment has found that climate change is making access to drinkable water more difficult across the United States. Hazards like drought, flooding, and extreme weather are threatening the quantity and quality of drinking water for 67 million Americans served by water utilities at high risk from these climate impacts. The aging infrastructure of many water systems, lack of climate risk planning, and limited funding are exacerbating the problem.

Why it matters

Reliable access to clean drinking water is a fundamental human need, and climate change poses a serious threat to this critical resource. As climate hazards intensify, water utilities across the country will face growing financial and operational challenges to maintain service, potentially leaving millions of Americans vulnerable to water insecurity.

The details

The study examined 1,500 municipal water utilities nationwide and found that utilities in every U.S. region are vulnerable to climate hazards. Drought impacts Western states, while coastal flooding worsens groundwater quality, and extreme cold can damage aging pipes. Water systems in the upper Midwest and Northeast are particularly at risk due to older infrastructure. Many utilities are stuck in a "negative financial loop," prioritizing short-term fixes over long-term investments in climate resilience due to limited funding and lack of strategic planning.

  • The study was published in Communications Earth & Environment in February 2026.

The players

Communications Earth & Environment

A scientific journal that published the study on climate change impacts on U.S. drinking water.

Costa Samaras

Professor of civil and environmental engineering at Carnegie Mellon University and co-author of the study.

Zia Lyle

Postdoctoral researcher at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and co-author of the study.

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What they’re saying

“Much of our infrastructure was built many decades ago. It was built not for the climate that we're experiencing now.”

— Costa Samaras, Professor of civil environmental engineering, Carnegie Mellon University (ABC News)

“When you're not thinking strategically about asset management and long-term planning, it's really easy to become stuck in a negative financial loop.”

— Zia Lyle, Postdoctoral researcher, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (ABC News)

“The lack of disclosure here indicates a real systematic lack of climate risk assessments. When we interviewed drinking water utility managers, some of them were just unaware of how this range of hazards can affect all the different aspects of their system.”

— Zia Lyle, Postdoctoral researcher, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (ABC News)

What’s next

Some states are already taking action, like Colorado's Denver Water assessing drought risks to their system. Increased investment from state and federal governments, along with better climate risk assessment and planning by water utilities, will be crucial to ensuring future access to clean drinking water.

The takeaway

This study highlights the urgent need for water utilities across the U.S. to proactively address the growing threats posed by climate change. Investing in infrastructure upgrades, improving risk assessment and disclosure, and securing greater funding support will be essential to maintaining reliable drinking water access for millions of Americans in the years ahead.