The cost of water has risen significantly over the last decade across the U.S.

Many large cities have assistance programs to help people who are low-income with their water and sewer bills, but they often only capture a fraction of the people who could use the help. 

That’s why the Northeast Ohio Solutions Journalism Collaborative and the Cuyahoga County Public Library are hosting a free online conversation on May 31, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. about what cities are doing about this issue.

The meeting is free and open to the public. Register through our Eventbrite page.

The panelists are:

* Constance Haqq, chief administrative officer for the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District.

* Susan Crosby, deputy revenue commissioner for water with the city of Philadelphia.

* Greg Wukasch, external affairs manager with the San Antonio Water System.

This conversation comes on the heels of a three-part NEO SoJo series that explores the issue of water affordability through the lens of these three cities' assistance programs. 

• Part one explores Philadelphia’s TAP water-discount program
• Part two discusses Cleveland’s programs and the limits of Philadelphia’s model
• Part three provides a look at what both Cleveland and Philadelphica can learn from the San Antonio Water System, and what else could be done to address this issue.

Contact reporter Conor Morris with questions, email Conor Morris.