Water Systems in Low-Income Communities Struggle to Meet Standards
Local water systems across the country — particularly those in low-income rural areas — are consistently failing to meet federal health standards and potentially exposing millions of Americans to unsafe drinking water, according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study finds that since 1982, between 3 and 10 percent of the country’s water systems have fallen short of federal health standards each year, with some communities racking up dozens of violations. Low-income rural water systems are most likely to fall behind, according to the study.