India, July 13 -- Climate change could significantly worsen urban water affordability by increasing infrastructure costs and household water bills by mid-century, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Sustainability on July 8, 2026.

The study is the first to comprehensively examine how climate change, aging infrastructure, utility investment decisions and household water demand interact to affect water affordability. While previous research has focused mainly on the costs and reliability of water systems, this study assesses how those rising costs impact households across different income groups.

Santa Cruz as example

To understand these impacts, the researchers used Santa Cruz, California, as a case study. The coast...