Inequities in Drinking Water Quality Among Domestic Well Communities and Community Water Systems, California, 2011‒2019

Title	Inequities in Drinking Water Quality Among Domestic Well Communities and Community Water Systems, California, 2011‒2019
Authors	Clare Pace, Carolina Balazs, Komal Bangia, Nicholas Depsky, Adriana Renteria, Rachel Morello-Frosch, Lara J. Cushing
Magazine	American Journal of Public Health
Date	01/01/2022
DOI	https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306561
Introduction	This study aimed to assess universal access to safe drinking water by characterising the connections between community sociodemographics and water contaminant levels in California's domestic well areas (DWAs) and community water systems (CWSs). The methodology involved combining data on domestic well locations, CWS service boundaries, residential parcels, building footprints, and American Community Survey data from 2013–2017 to estimate sociodemographic characteristics across DWAs and CWSs statewide. Researchers calculated average drinking water and groundwater contaminant concentrations for arsenic, nitrate, and hexavalent chromium (Cr[VI]) spanning the years 2011 to 2019. Multivariate models were then employed to quantify the relationships between sociodemographic variables and the observed contaminant concentrations. The findings indicated that over 1.3 million Californians (3.4%) utilise domestic wells, and more than 370,000 Californians depend on drinking water where average contaminant concentrations meet or exceed regulatory standards for at least one of the analysed substances. A significant association was observed where communities with higher proportions of people of colour experienced increased drinking water contamination. The study concludes that inadequate water quality disproportionately impacts communities of colour in California, with the highest concentrations of arsenic, nitrate, and Cr(VI) identified in regions relying on domestic wells. It emphasises the necessity of including domestic well communities in initiatives working towards California's Human Right to Water.
Quote	Clare Pace, Carolina Balazs and Komal Bangia et al. Inequities in Drinking Water Quality Among Domestic Well Communities and Community Water Systems, California, 2011‒2019. Am J Public Health. 2022. Vol. 112(1):88-97. DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2021.306561
Element	Arsenic (As) , Chromium (Cr) , Nitrogen (N)
Industry	Research & Laboratory , Chemical & Pharmacy