Water is the essence of all life, and yet, vulnerable and marginalized communities don't have the same access to clean drinking water as wealthier and more privileged communities. This lack of water availability and quality leads to arrested economic and infrastructural development. A prime example of this is Palo Alto and East Palo Alto, two neighboring cities that have a great difference in water allocation and quality and a great difference in their economic makeup. Through interviews with city council and water rights organization representatives, as well as research from documents and studies, this project aims to examine the effects that a difference in drinking water quality and allocation has on the economy and health of these two cities.