Welcome to the Southwest Environmental Finance Center’s Water Affordability Self-Assessment. You can use this tool to assess whether your rates are affordable according to several different measures, including median household income, percentage of population at or below the poverty level, and the number of hours at minimum wage needed to pay the bill. You can also use it to do an analysis of which of your customers would be most affected by changes in your rate structure.

The data used for these comparisons come from the US Census Bureau and is specific for your location(s). You will have an opportunity to select your locations (state, county, city and zip codes) to the level that works best for you.

At any point in your use of this tool, you can leave the tool and the data you entered will be saved for you. When you return using the same browser on the same computer, you can continue your work, unless you clear your browser cache or choose “Start New Session” in the upper right of the page.

NOTE: This tool uses cookies. If you have disabled cookies in your browser, the tool will not work. If you want to use the tool, please go into your browser and allow cookies.

NOTE: Information that could identify you will not be stored by this application. The application saves a reference ID number in your browser cache that allows you to retrieve previously entered data. The reference ID number will be saved for 720 days. If you clear your browser cache, the reference ID number will be deleted; your data will not be accessible, and you will need to start over.