Written By: Ava Haraldsson
Water contamination remains a serious problem in the United States. From Flint, Michigan to Jackson, Mississippi reports of shortages, chemicals, and bacteria in the drinking water of residents around the country have been discussed in the news nationally. But what exactly is water contamination, and what causes it?
What is Water Contamination?
According to the EPA, water pollution and contamination occur when “unsafe levels of harmful germs and chemicals contaminate public drinking water” (1). This can happen in a variety of ways, such as when pesticides and fertilizers are used nearby for drinking water, sewer overflow, animal farming operates close to drinking sources, water is contaminated by soil, or when old pipes and water systems become cracked or damaged (1). This in turn can lead to biological and chemical hazards which make water unfit for human consumption. Contamination from these sources may include: arsenic, lead, copper, radon, nitrate, norovirus, Hepatitis A, Salmonella, Enterovirus, E. Coli O157, and others (1). These contaminants, which can lead to both short-term problems such as vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and weight loss (2), as well as long-term problems including cancer and heart disease, deeply impact the futures and health of those who develop them (3). While a problem for everyone who consumes contaminated water, those most vulnerable to its effects are young children, those who are pregnant, older people, and those who have compromised immune systems (1).
Where Does This Happen and Who Does It Affect?
Reports of recent water contamination and water shortage crises have come from places across the United States. According to an article from the Scientific American, “reports have told of arsenic in tap water in a New York City public housing complex, potentially sewage- or runoff-related Escherichia coli bacteria in West Baltimore’s water supply and a lawsuit alleging neurological issues linked to thousands of liters of jet fuel that leaked into drinking water in Hawaii last year”(4). Additionally, in the greatly publicized crisis in Flint, Michigan, residents were exposed to high levels of lead in their drinking water. Due to cost-saving measures, the primary water source in Flint was switched from Detroit to the Flint River, which was “highly corrosive” and caused lead to seep into the houses of Michigan residents, affecting almost 9000 children (5). More recently in Jackson, the capital of Mississippi, residents found themselves without water for extended periods of time, after flooding and infrastructure issues left the treatment plant effectively inoperable (6). Inhabitants too were advised to boil or buy water to drink, as anything coming from taps would be unsafe to consume (6).
Environmental Racism
These problems were a long time in the making. In both Flint and Jackson, issues with the water infrastructure had been noted even before these crises began and remained largely unaddressed after white flight left both places with far fewer resources than they had had previously (6). This contributed to the fact that when complaints started surfacing about water quality and unequal access to water, little was done to resolve any issues.
Problems with safe water access go beyond Mississippi and Michigan. According to studies, “communities of color, low-income communities, and communities that don't have access to adequate housing and transportation options” most often deal with water contamination and issues (7). This is compounded by the fact that it takes longer to resolve treatment and infrastructure problems after they are reported in areas with traditionally high minority populations and that in these areas breaches of water protection and system laws are 40% more likely to be found (8). Race, as well as socioeconomic status, plays an undoubtedly outsized role in access to clean water, as communities of color are often shut down and dismissed when voicing their concerns about water safety and quality. Exposed to far higher levels of contaminants than their white counterparts, water systems in communities of color continue to emphasize the inequity in water access throughout the United States today.
Solutions
While water contamination is evidently a big problem, there are steps that can be taken to improve the situation. Education, especially for government officials, is important to the solution (9). Raising awareness both in the news media (many of these issues, especially in neighborhoods of color or of lower socioeconomic status are not regularly covered) and throughout the community will force those in government to recognize this problem, as constituents identify water contamination as something that needs to be addressed. Additionally, focusing on writing laws to protect drinking water, specifically for communities of color, as well as working to regulate the contaminants that leach from pipes and other large-scale industries will help to keep water hazard free (8). Finally, making sure that laws are enforced equally across the country and planning to invest significant funds into the infrastructure of communities that are the most impacted by this issue will help to make sure that everyone, across the country, has access to safe and clean drinking water (8).
References:
“Water Contamination and Diseases”. The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control. Last Reviewed: May 26, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/contamination.html. Accessed November 3, 2022.
“Hepatitis A”. World Health Organization. 24 June, 2022. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hepatitis-a#:~:text=Symptoms%20of%20hepatitis%20A%20range,will%20have%20all%20the%20symptoms. Accessed November 3, 2022.
“Arsenic in Well Water”. Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. Rev. October, 2022. https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/egle/Documents/Programs/DWEHD/Water-Well-Construction/Arsenic-in-Well-Water.pdf?rev=617a1e0dd712476d992ce47ddcfd8496#:~:text=Long%2Dterm%20exposure%20to%20low,and%20interference%20with%20some%20important. Accessed November 3, 2022.
Lloyd, Robin. “A Growing Drinking Water Crisis Threatens American Cities and Towns”. Scientific American. September 9, 2022. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-growing-drinking-water-crisis-threatens-american-cities-and-towns/. Accessed November 3, 2022.
Denchak, Melissa. “Flint Water Crisis: Everything You Need to Know”. Natural Resources Defense Council. November 8, 2018. https://www.nrdc.org/stories/flint-water-crisis-everything-you-need-know. Accessed November 3, 2022.
Jones, Benji. “How Jackson, Mississippi, ran out of water”. Vox. September 1, 2022. https://www.vox.com/2022/8/31/23329604/jackson-mississippi-water-crisis. Accessed November 3, 2022.
“Unsafe Water More Common in Communities of Color”. Natural Resources Defense Council. January 22, 2021. https://www.nrdc.org/stories/unsafe-water-more-common-communities-color. Accessed November 3, 2022.
“New Drinking Water Report: Communities of Color More Likely to Suffer Drinking Water Violations For Years”. Natural Resources Defense Council. https://www.nrdc.org/media/2019/190924. Accessed November 3, 2022.
“What Can We Do to Fix the Drinking Water Problem in America?”. Natural Resources Defense Council. October 7, 2019. https://www.nrdc.org/stories/what-can-we-do-fix-drinking-water-problem-america. Accessed November 3, 2022.
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