Nearly a third of US residents are exposed to unregulated contaminants in their drinking water, according to a new analysis. The study found that Hispanic and Black residents are more likely to be affected, with some communities situated near pollution sources. Over 97 million people have been exposed to such contaminants, which can impact health.
The analysis, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, highlights the need for federal action to regulate more pollutants and provide resources to communities of color. Lead author Aaron Maruzzo suggests that racial disparities in socioeconomic status are not the sole cause of these issues, pointing instead to factors like racism and historical redlining practices.
Researcher Laurel Schaider notes that thousands of chemicals are not regulated under the US Safe Drinking Water Act but can still end up in drinking water supplies. The study analyzed data from 4,815 public water systems and found detectable levels of certain chemicals in 27% of systems. These contaminants include PFAS, a probable human carcinogen, and other hazardous substances.
The EPA recently announced drinking water standards for six PFAS chemicals, but more work is needed to address the issue. Schaider emphasizes the need to protect source waters and reduce discharges of pollutants into water bodies that feed into drinking supplies.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-01-million-residents-exposed-unregulated-contaminants.html