Water poverty.

Water poverty has become to the 1990s what fuel poverty was to the 1970s and 1980s. Underlying the growing concern on the issue is, on the one hand, a steep rise in the numbers living on poverty level incomes over the past 15 years and on the other, increasing difficulties among many poorer households in paying for the water that they need. Having briefly outlined current trends in poverty, the article explores these difficulties in relation to the price of and methods of charging for water and sewerage; the options for helping poorer customers; and the consequences of non-payment. It will focus in particular on the implications for health of two controversial issues: compulsory volumetric metering and water disconnections.