Katharina Buczek
The study notes that there are around 150,000 public water systems in the country. Of these, about a third are community water systems catering to an estimated 320 million Americans. Interestingly, 91% of these systems serve fewer than 10,000 people, accounting for about 52 million individuals.
Moreover, over 43 million Americans are dependent on private wells for their water supply.
The research team strongly emphasized the immediate need for increased investment in water infrastructure, the implementation of better water quality standards, the development of advanced treatment methods, improved data monitoring, and more rigorous chemical safety tests.
Dr. Lewis also pointed out that climate change impacts, such as droughts, make the challenge of finding clean water sources even more difficult, especially in the western U.S.
“For me, the thing that is most concerning is that you start looking at drought and the stresses that that puts on looking for additional water sources. The potential for making sure those sources are clean could become more limited,” he noted.
Dr. Lewis also emphasized that the repercussions of climate change hit hardest in communities that are least equipped to handle them. This is especially concerning, given the inadequate water monitoring in underserved areas.
“When we talk about racial injustice and societal injustice in communities that are underserved, they’re the ones that are going to bear the brunt of this,” he concluded.
To read the study’s complete findings, which have since been published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, visit the link here.
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