Public trust in tap water is broken.
Policymakers and engineers can build it back better, together.
Six years, eight months, and twenty days after asserting the water “was not only safe, but of the high quality that Flint customers have come to expect”, the Flint, Michigan director of public works was criminally charged with willful neglect of his duty to oversee the city’s water treatment and distribution. He is one of nine government officials prosecuted for the Flint water crisis, in which residents were exposed to lead, a dangerous neurotoxin, in their municipal tap water due to lack of routine control for pipe corrosion.
The deception in Flint has had consequences for the public image of tap water. The United States water industry, at large, provides reliable water services in compliance with local, state, and federal water quality standards. However, recent data indicates that 60 million Americans do not drink tap water, with a sharp increase coinciding with the Flint crisis around 2017. There are about two million Americans who lack running water at home, and some face ongoing water contamination issues in their communities. Many more just don’t trust tap water, even when it is considered safe. America has a new water crisis- a crisis of trust.
Aging infrastructure issues exacerbate concerns about tap water. The American Society of Civil Engineers reports that there is a water pipe break every two minutes in the United States, leaking six billion gallons per day of clean drinking water. This wasted water, enough to fill 9,000 swimming pools, is especially unfortunate given that more 75 million Americans experienced a drought last summer. Leaks can also cause a loss of pipe system pressure and allow contaminants to enter through small cracks. During such events, water utilities may release boil water orders, which are issued to limit exposure to contaminants and protect the public health.
Yet, research indicates that water utility communications are falling short. An analysis of over 250 water quality reports found that most of these use language best suited for readers with graduate degrees and are usually only offered in English. In fact, about half of water utility customers are not aware that their utilities are monitoring water quality. Aging infrastructure, lacking science communication, and high-profile water quality violations have contributed to many Americans who will not drink tap water. This is a public health concern, as people may turn to higher cost or less healthy options for their water needs, like bottled water and sugary beverages. With landmark infrastructure bills on the horizon, decisionmakers are tasked with more than repairs to water systems — they must also repair relationships.
Key messages:
· 60 million Americans won’t drink tap water.
· Public trust in water declined after the Flint lead in water crisis.
· Disparities across U.S. water utilities need political attention.
· Infrastructure Investment and Job Act funding is not enough: U.S. water infrastructure needs $473 B in upgrades.
What can be done?
1. Pursue high water quality standards
Although U.S. standards for water quality are stringent, there is room for improvement. Our sanitation and drinking water standards are behind several other developed nations and roughly 3–10% of US water systems have a health-based violation of the Environmental Protection Agency’s drinking water standards in any given year. There are also emerging contaminants, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These ‘forever chemicals’ lack federal regulations on an allowable limit in drinking water, despite encouragement to address these chemicals from various engineering groups including the American Water Works Association.
To better protect water resources from emerging contaminants, the U.S. could look abroad at the EU’s REACH laws (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals), which prevents chemicals from reaching the consumer market until they are proven safe. Although a scientific understanding is still developing about how to address PFAS, policymakers and scientists must work together to update water quality standards as soon as new knowledge arises to keep the public safe and informed.
2. Increase federal infrastructure investments
State and local investments have outpaced the percent of federal spending on water infrastructure for some time, but recent legislation is closing the gap. The 2021 bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Job Act (IIJA) earmarks approximately $55B for improving water systems, the single largest drinking water investment in American history. This presents ample opportunity for getting started on necessary changes, but it is not enough to cover the $473B that engineering experts anticipate is needed. Without additional federal dollars, this funding deficit will likely be made up in user fees and increasing water prices- which 36% of households will not be able to afford by 2024.
3. Improve transparency and accountability
You shouldn’t have to know an engineer to interpret the safety of your water. Luckily, simple changes like clarifying word choice, offering an action plan for when and how problems will be resolved, and communicating through multiple channels including email, phone and social platforms have a big impact on customer relationships. Smart technologies, like interactive dashboards about water use or live maps of reported water issues, could help make information more broadly accessible through visuals, which could also be beneficial for households where English is not the primary language.
More data is needed to understand the financial, physical, and personnel barriers that make implementing change difficult at water utilities across the US. Research suggests that rural water systems, metropolitan areas with high poverty rates, and systems that serve historically marginalized populations are particularly under resourced. Policymakers should prioritize the most at-risk communities as infrastructure funds are doled out. Taking accountability is a key step to build trust- especially for long overdue issues, like replacing the approximately 10 million water service lines made of lead currently in use across the United States.
