Water is life, and America’s water infrastructure is failing. Lead pipes poison children. PFAS contaminates drinking water for 200 million Americans. The Colorado River is at 25% of historical flow. Two million Americans lack access to clean running water. And private water companies charge 59% more than public utilities.
Water is life. Every American deserves clean, affordable water — not as a market commodity, but as a right. 9.2 million lead service lines poison children every day. Over 200 million Americans drink PFAS-contaminated water. The Colorado River is drying up. Two million Americans lack running water. Private water companies charge 59% more than public utilities. The CGP will fix all of it with ten pillars of comprehensive water policy.
Ten pillars: Lead Zero by 2035. PFAS eradication. No privatization. Western water conservation. Aquifer protection. Affordable water. Tribal water justice ($10B). Agricultural reform. Dam safety. Rural water systems.
The EPA’s 2024 inventory identified 9.2 million lead service lines still in use, overwhelmingly in older cities with large Black and Latino populations. There is no safe level of lead exposure in children. Lead causes irreversible neurological damage — lower IQ, behavioral problems, learning disabilities. Flint became the symbol, but the problem is national.
PFAS — “forever chemicals” — contaminate the drinking water of over 200 million Americans. Linked to cancer, thyroid disease, immune dysfunction, and reproductive harm. The manufacturers knew about the risks for decades.
The Colorado River supplies water to 40 million people in seven states. It is at approximately 25% of historical flow. Western water law incentivizes maximum extraction rather than conservation. Meanwhile, private water companies charge 59% more than public utilities.
On the Navajo Nation, 30% of households lack running water. Two million Americans — disproportionately in tribal, rural, and minority communities — lack access to clean running water. In the wealthiest country on earth, this is a policy choice.
Sources: EPA — epa.gov · Bureau of Reclamation — usbr.gov · Food & Water Watch — foodandwaterwatch.org
The primary federal law governing drinking water quality, setting standards for 90+ pollutants. But enforcement relies on underfunded state agencies. The EPA estimates $625 billion in water infrastructure investment is needed over 20 years — the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided $55 billion, less than 10%.
Western water allocations were based on the wettest period in 500 years. Reality has caught up. Lake Mead and Lake Powell have dropped to crisis levels. The prior appropriation doctrine incentivizes maximum extraction.
American water infrastructure has been underfunded for decades. Lead pipes installed a century ago remain in the ground. Dam rehabilitation backlog stands at $165 billion. Rural water systems serve communities that cannot afford upgrades.
| Country | Model | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Israel | Water recycling leader | Reuses 90% of wastewater for agriculture. Global gold standard for water efficiency. Desalination for 70% of domestic use. |
| Singapore | NEWater program | Advanced purification turns wastewater into drinking water. 40% of demand met by recycled water. |
| Germany | Public water utilities | 99%+ drinking water quality compliance. Affordable pricing. Strict quality standards enforced. |
| Australia | Millennium Drought response | Conservation mandates, recycling investment, desalination backup. 50% reduction in per-capita water use. |
| United States | Failing infrastructure | 9.2M lead lines. 200M+ exposed to PFAS. 2M lack running water. 59% private-vs-public price gap. $625B investment gap. |
| Policy | Fiscal Position | Mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| Lead Zero by 2035 | $60B | Federal investment; CDC estimates lead exposure costs $50B/year in lost earnings alone |
| PFAS remediation | Polluter-funded | Superfund cost recovery from manufacturers — 3M, DuPont pay, not taxpayers |
| Western water recycling | Significant investment | Federal infrastructure spending; long-term savings from avoided water crises |
| Tribal water fund | $10B dedicated | Federal appropriation — honoring treaty obligations and ending conditions that are a national shame |
| Dam safety | $165B backlog | Phased federal investment prioritized by hazard classification |
| Rural water systems | Moderate | Federal grants and technical assistance for under-resourced communities |
The cost of lead poisoning alone exceeds the cost of replacing every lead pipe. The CDC estimates $50 billion annually in lost lifetime earnings from lead exposure. $60 billion to replace every lead service line is the best return on investment in American public health.
| Statistic | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Lead service lines in use | 9.2 million | EPA 2024 Inventory |
| Americans exposed to PFAS | 200 million+ | EPA / ATSDR |
| Americans lacking clean running water | 2 million | US Water Alliance |
| Colorado River flow | ~25% of historical | Bureau of Reclamation |
| Private vs. public water cost | 59% more (private) | Food & Water Watch |
| Dam rehabilitation backlog | $165 billion | ASDSO |
| Water infrastructure investment gap | $625 billion over 20 years | EPA |
| Lead Zero investment | $60 billion | EPA cost estimate |
| Tribal water justice fund | $10 billion (CGP) | CGP policy |
| Israel wastewater reuse rate | 90% | Israel Water Authority |
“Two million Americans lack access to clean running water. Nine million lead service lines poison children every day. Two hundred million Americans drink PFAS-contaminated water. In the wealthiest country on earth, this is a choice — and we are choosing to end it.”— The Common Good Party