This article discusses how the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) provides a potentially important means of mitigating the multidimensional water affordability problem. Topics discussed are: how the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) provides small water systems with alternative paths to compliance; rising water prices; willingness-to-pay and ability-to-pay; affordability assessment methods; affordability as a means of determining best available technology; states using affordability criteria (New York, Pennsylvania, Idaho, and Washington); sources of water system revenue; and, household affordability. Includes 3 references, tables, figures.