The Health Impact of the Water Crisis
Inaccessibility to safe drinking water and sanitation has been an ongoing global issue with nearly two-thirds of the population experiencing long periods of water scarcity annually. In the United States, the population without access to safe drinking water and sanitation is expected to jump from less than 1% to 35% within the next two years. This is mainly due to increasing water costs combined with increasing poverty rates across the U.S., which makes it more difficult for people to pay their utility bills.
A recent study in Detroit, Michigan for example, reported that water companies have shut off the residents’ access to water in order to elicit people to pay their overdue water bills, despite lower-income communities not being able to keep up with increasing water costs. The cost of water in Detroit has increased by 119% since the city declared bankruptcy in 2013. In addition, 35.7% of Detroit’s residents are living in poverty, which is the highest among all major cities across the country. As a result, water companies have shut off water services thousands of times in recent years, leaving tens of thousands of people without access to water each time.
A recent study in Detroit, Michigan for example, reported that water companies have shut off the residents’ access to water in order to elicit people to pay their overdue water bills, despite lower-income communities not being able to keep up with increasing water costs. The cost of water in Detroit has increased by 119% since the city declared bankruptcy in 2013. In addition, 35.7% of Detroit’s residents are living in poverty, which is the highest among all major cities across the country. As a result, water companies have shut off water services thousands of times in recent years, leaving tens of thousands of people without access to water each time.
Image Source: Jonathan Chng
This study conducted surveys and interviews with residents of Detroit and found that 57% of the participants were experiencing water insecurity at the time of the study. Participants who experienced a water shutoff reported that the period without water was anywhere between one day and two years, with an average of three months. The researchers speculated that water insecurity may be associated with income level. However, since the study was conducted in a primarily low-income neighborhood, the sample lacked the income variation needed to confirm this association. Up to one third of the participants reported needing to reduce hygienic activities in order to conserve water, and about 86% reported they drank water they thought was unsafe for their health.
Water insecurity not only negatively impacts physical health, but also mental health and overall well-being. The researchers of this study found that terminating water services is associated with greater psychological distress. In particular, receiving a water shutoff notice and the thought of not being able to afford water is associated with significantly increased stress. Other studies have also found that water insecurity among lower income communities or resource loss after a natural disaster are also associated with increased psychological distress and anxiety. Further community-based research can lead to a better understanding of the effects of water insecurity on mental health.
These water shutoffs indicate what many other Americans may experience in the near future, posing a growing public health crisis for both physical and mental health. Due to rapid increases in water costs pressured by climate change and aging infrastructure, findings from this study must be taken into account when cities debate water costs or they will be faced with adverse health consequences. Especially now when washing our hands is crucial to preventing the spread of COVID-19, having access to clean water to do so is essential and puts the health of people experiencing water shutoffs at greater risk.
Water insecurity not only negatively impacts physical health, but also mental health and overall well-being. The researchers of this study found that terminating water services is associated with greater psychological distress. In particular, receiving a water shutoff notice and the thought of not being able to afford water is associated with significantly increased stress. Other studies have also found that water insecurity among lower income communities or resource loss after a natural disaster are also associated with increased psychological distress and anxiety. Further community-based research can lead to a better understanding of the effects of water insecurity on mental health.
These water shutoffs indicate what many other Americans may experience in the near future, posing a growing public health crisis for both physical and mental health. Due to rapid increases in water costs pressured by climate change and aging infrastructure, findings from this study must be taken into account when cities debate water costs or they will be faced with adverse health consequences. Especially now when washing our hands is crucial to preventing the spread of COVID-19, having access to clean water to do so is essential and puts the health of people experiencing water shutoffs at greater risk.
Featured Image Source: Tosab Photography
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