While extreme water quality violations such as those experienced in the Flint water crisis seldom occur, ensuring a reliable supply of safe drinking water poses a challenge for communities all around the country, a recent University of California, Irvine study has revealed.

The results of the study, which were recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, show that from 1982 to 2015, between 9 million and 45 million people were impacted by water quality issues every year, with low-income rural areas being particularly vulnerable. The study identified certain 'hot spots' in Idaho, Oklahoma and Texas, were water quality infractions occurred more often, implying that these water providers are susceptible to recurring water quality problems.

“Overall, this study informs a more directed approach to increasing compliance with drinking water quality regulations,” says author Maura Allaire, UCI assistant professor of urban planning & public policy. “Identifying hot spots and vulnerability factors associated with violations can allow public policies to target under-performing water systems.” Steve Zylius / UCI

First Nationwide Water Quality Long Term Study

This is the first national study to assess the quality of drinking water across the nation, spanning several decades. The study evaluated factors that made certain communities more vulnerable to water safety violations, as well as health incidences that could potentially be linked to water contamination events since the Safe Drinking Water Act was passed in 1974. While not every infraction poses an immediate health concern, drinking water contaminants are often responsible for short-term health issues such as stomach upsets that result in vomiting and diarrhea, and can also cause more chronic health issues such as neurological disorders and cancer.

"We felt that in the aftermath of the Flint lead crisis, there was an urgent need to assess the current state of drinking water in the U.S.," said study author Maura Allaire, UCI assistant professor of urban planning & public policy. "Generally, the country's utilities deliver high-quality water, but every year, about 7 to 8 percent of community systems do not meet health-related standards. Identifying hot spots and vulnerability factors associated with violations indicates the types of communities that can benefit from greater regulatory oversight and assistance to help reduce quality issues, improve compliance and ensure safe drinking water across the nation."

The study found that in general, rural areas are more likely to struggle to meet federal water safety standards. This is largely attributed to lack of funding needed to maintain water supply systems due to smaller populations, lower household incomes, limited access to financing to fund major maintenance or upgrade infrastructure, and lack of technical expertise.

Water quality compliance tends to be associated with private ownership and water sources that are purchased. This is because wholesale agencies, who have more resources available to enable them to comply with water quality regulations, supply purchased water, while private water utilities run the risk of losing valuable assets should they be sued, or they risk being taken over by municipal managers if they supply contaminated water.

According to Allaire, public policies that can assist underperforming water utilities include providing financial support, as well as technical guidance and training, particularly in areas such as protecting source water, and improving monitoring and system maintenance.