Overview

• A study published in the journal Risk Analysis identifies significant drinking water violations concentrated in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Oklahoma, with Wyoming County, W.Va., leading in violations by a single water system.
• Approximately 2 million Americans lack access to running water, while 30 million rely on systems that fail to meet safety standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
• The research defines water injustice as unequal access to clean water, disproportionately affecting low-income households and communities of color, with hotspots identified in Mississippi, South Dakota, and Texas.
• Analysis reveals that water privatization alone is insufficient to address these issues, with outcomes heavily influenced by local regulatory enforcement, community vulnerabilities, and priorities.
• The study integrates geospatial mapping, EPA data, and social vulnerability indices, offering policymakers tools to prioritize enforcement and infrastructure improvements in high-risk areas.