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Review
. 2011 Dec;101 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S109-14.
doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2011.300189. Epub 2011 Aug 11.

Drinking water infrastructure and environmental disparities: evidence and methodological considerations

James VanDerslice  1
Affiliations
Review

Drinking water infrastructure and environmental disparities: evidence and methodological considerations

James VanDerslice. Am J Public Health. 2011 Dec.

Abstract

Potable drinking water is essential to public health; however, few studies have investigated income or racial disparities in water infrastructure or drinking water quality. There were many case reports documenting a lack of piped water or serious water quality problems in low income and minority communities, including tribal lands, Alaskan Native villages, colonias along the United States-Mexico border, and small communities in agricultural areas. Only 3 studies compared the demographic characteristics of communities by the quality of their drinking water, and the results were mixed in these studies. Further assessments were hampered by difficulties linking specific water systems to the sociodemographic characteristics of communities, as well as little information about how well water systems operated and the effectiveness of governmental oversight.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Framework of the components of drinking water infrastructure. Note. EPA = Environmental Protection Agency.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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