George Andrew, Gray Kathleen, Wait Kory, Gallagher Daniel, Edwards Marc, Currie Jefferson, Hogan Judy, Kwasikpui Alfred W, Pieper Kelsey J
Dr. Andrew George is the Community Engagement Coordinator at Institute for the Environment, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. Dr. Kathleen M. Gray is Research Associate Professor at Institute for the Environment, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. Dr. Kory Wait is Graduate Research Assistant at Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA. Dr. Daniel Gallagher is Professor at Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA. Dr. Marc Edwards is the University Distinguished Professor at Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA. Jefferson Currie is Lumber Riverkeeper at Winyah Rivers Alliance, Lumber Riverkeeper, Robeson, County, North Carolina, USA. Judy Hogan is the Chair of Chatham Citizens Against Goal Ash Dumps, Moncure, North Carolina, USA. Alfred W. Kwasikpui is retired judge, co-chairperson of Northampton Citizens Against Coal Ash, Jackson, North Carolina, USA. Dr. Kelsey J. Pieper is Assistant Professor at Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Environ Justice. 2023 Jun 19. doi: 10.1089/env.2022.0100.
In the United States, most private wells are not tested for contaminants, especially in low-income communities, unless state or local testing regulations have been enacted. Few studies have addressed whether Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) experience similar burden disparities in testing and private well stewardship.
Focusing on four North Carolina regions impacted by 2018 hurricanes (Florence and Michael), researchers and community-based organizations partnered to assess: (1) contamination levels of metals in private wells and (2) differences in water quality and well stewardship among demographic groups.
Well tests revealed contamination exceeding a federal or state standard or public health goal in more than 67% of the samples. Of 476 private well users enrolled in this study, 44% ( = 209) had previously tested their drinking water, yet more than 58% ( = 192) reported having a treatment system installed. White, high-income households had over 10 times greater odds of testing their private wells, and over 4 times greater odds of treating their drinking water than BIPOC, low-income households.
In this study, private well testing and treatment levels were significantly predicted by race and income ( < 0.05). Although high contamination levels (67%) were equally distributed across the sample, the lack of private well testing and treatment means BIPOC, low-income groups may experience greater burden disparities in exposure to toxic metals in drinking water.
Well-reliant populations in socially and economically marginalized communities will likely remain unaware of potential exposure to contaminated drinking water absent focused efforts to encourage well testing and treatment.
在美国，大多数私人水井未经污染物检测，尤其是在低收入社区，除非已颁布州或地方法规要求进行检测。很少有研究探讨黑人、原住民和其他有色人种（BIPOC）在水井检测和私人水井管理方面是否经历类似的负担差异。
以受2018年飓风（佛罗伦萨和迈克尔）影响的北卡罗来纳州四个地区为重点，研究人员与社区组织合作进行评估：（1）私人水井中金属的污染水平，以及（2）不同人口群体在水质和水井管理方面的差异。
水井检测显示，超过67%的样本污染物含量超过联邦或州标准或公共卫生目标。在参与本研究的476名私人水井用户中，44%（n = 209）此前曾检测过其饮用水，但超过58%（n = 192）报告安装了处理系统。白人高收入家庭检测其私人水井的几率比BIPOC低收入家庭高10倍以上，处理其饮用水的几率比BIPOC低收入家庭高4倍以上。
在本研究中，种族和收入显著预测了私人水井检测和处理水平（P < 0.05）。尽管高污染水平（67%）在样本中分布均匀，但缺乏私人水井检测和处理意味着BIPOC低收入群体在接触饮用水中的有毒金属方面可能面临更大的负担差异。
如果不集中努力鼓励水井检测和处理，社会经济边缘化社区中依赖水井的人群可能仍未意识到接触受污染饮用水的潜在风险。
