Water, Sanitation, Hygiene
According to the Centers for Disease Control, global access to safe water, adequate sanitation, and proper hygiene education can reduce illness and death from disease, leading to improved health, poverty reduction, and socio-economic development. However, many countries are challenged to provide these basic necessities to their populations, leaving people at risk for water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH)-related diseases. Resources available within this theme offer information on providing access to safe water and appropriate sanitation facilities, and introducing sound hygiene behaviors.
Water, Sanitation, Hygiene Resources
Microbes Increasingly Viewed as Water Quality Threat
The National Institutes for Water Resources
Many U.S. citizens believe that thanks to our advanced technology and enlightened public policy we can consume without risk the food and water that are readily available to most of us, as citizens of a rich and privileged country. Some of those who subscribe to this buoyant and comforting attitude...Read more
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United StatesNorth AmericaThe Impacts of the Pandemic Remain for Small Water Systems and Customers In-Debt
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June 25, 2021Pacific Institute
Covid-19 has had persistent, wide-ranging impacts on small community water systems. Small community water systems (SCWS) serve millions around the United States in urban, rural, and growing communities. The pandemic poses serious challenges to the operational capacity and financial stability of...Read more
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United StatesWater Problems Add To Widespread Environmental Injustice. Two Major Bills Could Change That.
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July 2, 2021Increased investment in water infrastructure is a key component in creating an environmentally just America. For years, low-income communities, communities of color, and rural regions have suffered from chronic disinvestment in water infrastructure, leading to serious water pollution, water...Read more
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United StatesA neglected environmental justice issue: indoor plumbing
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July 2, 2021In America, nearly 2 million people lack access to adequate running water and sanitation services, posing serious health and quality of life challenges in thousands of communities. Many Americans without adequate indoor plumbing reside in working class rural areas, especially on indigenous...Read more
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United StatesDrinking Water a Little-Noticed Environmental Justice Problem
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July 2, 2021This article highlights the struggles many rural communities throughout the U.S. have in accessing clean and reliable water for drinking and sanitation. Many small water systems in rural and poor areas struggle to adequately deliver services, maintain pipes, and expand infrastructure; this is...Read more
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United StatesFlint Water Crisis: Everything You Need to Know
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July 9, 2021Natural Resources Defense Council
Flint, Michigan’s experience with government mismanagement and pollution has propelled it to the forefront of many environmental justice conversations. Flint, a majority black city north of Detroit, experienced dangerous decreases in water quality after policymakers took the city’s water system off...Read more
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United StatesDon't see what you're looking for? You can search USWP member sites, request a resource, or contact the USWP.