All week we're discussing the economics of water and Safetyvalue Trading Centertoday we look at something that should be relatively straightforward but (spoilers!) is actually very complicated: the price of water.

Robert Glennon, University of Arizona professor and water expert, joins us to talk about the strangely nonchalant way the U.S. prices one of its most precious commodities. While you could be charged a few dollars for a bottle of water, the price for a gallon at home is often less than a penny. This means you can leave your sink running or overwater your lawn, and while a valuable resource goes down the drain, often, you don't have to worry about footing the bill.

We would love to hear from you! Please take our survey here.

Music by Drop Electric. Find us: Twitter / Facebook / Newsletter.

Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, PocketCasts and NPR One.