During Droughts, Many Poor Americans Will Lack Clean Tap Water: Study
THURSDAY, April 30, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Poor and minority Americans are most likely to lose access to clean tap water as droughts become more common and severe, a new paper says.
Water service in the United States is delivered by tens of thousands of community systems, most of which are small and funded locally, according to the study.
More than 80% of the 50,000-plus U.S. community water systems delivering water year-round serve fewer than 3,300 people, according to author Megan Mullin, associate professor of environmental politics at Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment in Durham, N.C.
"Systems this small face tremendous challenges in delivering safe drinking water even under normal conditions, and as droughts become more frequent and intense, the challenges are going to mount," she said in a university news release.
That puts many households at risk of water contamination or loss of service, and the risk is highest in low-income or predominantly minority neighborhoods, according to Mullin.
She said correcting this disparity requires a fundamental re-evaluation of the management and funding of the nation's community water systems.
"Small water systems already are at a disadvantage when it comes to protecting water security during drought, because of the financial constraints they face," Mullin said. "Underlying patterns of segregation can amplify these weaknesses along economic and racial lines."
Community water systems are funded by user fees, so they typically extend service to neighborhoods or adjacent municipalities where residents are more able to pay.
That means that some communities get high-quality water service, while others -- often rural communities or places where poverty is concentrated -- get lower-quality service, according to Mullin.
"Drought aggravates vulnerabilities for small, under-resourced water systems. The user-fee finance model then limits options for drought response, because policies that conserve dwindling water resources reduce revenue for water systems and make it harder for residents to pay their water bills," she said.
Mullin said it's time to rethink reliance on user fees as a financial model for delivering such an essential service.
"States should consider equalizing resources across water systems to counter the legacy of racism and segregation, as we have done in public school funding," she said.
Small water systems also need to encourage and enforce water conservation, Mullin added.
Her paper was recently published in a special drought edition of the journal Science.
The World Health Organization has more on water safety and quality.
SOURCE: Duke University, news release, April 20, 2020
Wakati wa ukame, Wamarekani wengi maskini watakosa maji safi ya bomba: Utafiti Alhamisi, Aprili 30, 2020 (HealthDay News) - Wamarekani maskini na wachache wana uwezekano mkubwa wa kupoteza upatikanaji wa maji safi ya bomba wakati ukame unakuwa wa kawaida na mkali zaidi. Huduma za maji nchini Marekani zinatolewa na maelfu ya mifumo ya jamii, ambayo ni ndogo na kufadhiliwa ndani ya nchi, kulingana na utafiti. "Kulingana na Megan Mullin, profesa wa siasa za mazingira katika Chuo Kikuu cha Duke, ""Mifumo hii ndogo inakabiliwa na changamoto kubwa katika kutoa maji salama ya kunywa hata chini ya hali ya kawaida, na kama ukame unakuwa mara kwa mara na mkali, changamoto zitaongezeka.""" Hii inaweka makazi mengi katika hatari ya uchafuzi wa maji au kupoteza huduma, na hatari ni kubwa zaidi katika vitongoji vya mapato ya chini au hasa wachache, kulingana na Mullin. "Kurekebisha tofauti hii inahitaji tathmini mpya ya msingi ya usimamizi na ufadhili wa mifumo ya maji ya jamii ya taifa. """ "Mifumo midogo ya maji tayari iko katika hali mbaya linapokuja suala la kulinda usalama wa maji wakati wa ukame, kwa sababu ya vikwazo vya kifedha wanavyokabili", Mullin alisema. "Mifumo ya msingi ya ubaguzi wa rangi yaweza kuimarisha udhaifu huo kulingana na uchumi na jamii". Mifumo ya maji ya jamii hufadhiliwa na ada za watumiaji, kwa hivyo kwa kawaida huongeza huduma kwa vitongoji au manispaa zilizo karibu ambapo wakazi wana uwezo zaidi wa kulipa. Miongoni mwa jamii hizo, baadhi ya watu wana huduma za maji ya hali ya juu, wakati wengine - mara nyingi jamii za vijijini au maeneo ambapo umaskini umekamilika - wanapata huduma za hali ya chini, kulingana na Mullin. "Ukaidi huongeza hatari ya mifumo midogo ya maji isiyo na rasilimali za kutosha. "Mfano wa fedha wa malipo ya mtumiaji kisha hupunguza chaguzi za kukabiliana na ukame, kwa sababu sera ambazo huhifadhi rasilimali za maji zinazopungua hupunguza mapato kwa mifumo ya maji na kufanya iwe vigumu kwa wakazi kulipa bili zao za maji. """ Mullin alisema ni wakati wa kufikiria tena kutegemea ada za watumiaji kama mfano wa kifedha wa kutoa huduma muhimu kama hiyo. "Mataifa yanapaswa kuzingatia kugawa rasilimali katika mifumo ya maji ili kukabiliana na urithi wa ubaguzi wa rangi na ubaguzi, kama tulivyofanya katika ufadhili wa shule za umma, ""alisema." Mifumo midogo ya maji pia inahitaji kuhamasisha na kutekeleza uhifadhi wa maji, Mullin aliongeza. Karatasi yake ilichapishwa hivi karibuni katika toleo maalum la ukame la jarida la Sayansi. Shirika la Afya Ulimwenguni (WHO) linatoa ushauri wa juu juu ya usalama na ubora wa maji. Duke University, taarifa ya habari, Aprili 20, 2020