Despite $2 trillion and decades of work, 1 in 5 Americans may still have unsafe drinking water

Roughly $2 trillion and decades of policy work have gone into improving U.S. tap water.

Even so, new research indicates that using the faucet may still pose health concerns for millions of Americans.

What's happening?

According to a new National Bureau of Economic Research working paper, 10% to 20% of Americans may be getting drinking water that does not meet safety standards.

That estimate comes after federal efforts that trace back to the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974.

According to Newsweek, the data also showed improvement over time. Readings exceeding current health standards fell by about half between 2003 and 2019.

To assess that trend, the researchers analyzed 266 million water-quality measurements spanning multiple decades, 1,250 pollutants, and 48 states.

That limited regulatory reach may be part of the problem. More than 42,000 chemicals are used by U.S. industry, yet only 90 are covered by the Safe Drinking Water Act, and pollutants outside those rules seem to be declining more slowly, suggesting major threats may still be going unaddressed.

Researchers also evaluated the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, which was added in 1996. The program helps communities pay for treatment upgrades, pipe repairs, and improvements to water sources.

Why does it matter?

When drinking water is unsafe, the effects can show up in everyday health, add stress in already overburdened neighborhoods, and weaken trust in an essential public service.

The paper points to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that drinking-water pathogens cause 7 million illnesses and 600,000 emergency department visits each year. That can translate into missed work, medical bills, and lasting health complications, especially for older adults and other vulnerable groups.

Exposure is not evenly distributed, either. The researchers found more drinking water pollution in low-income communities, while Black and Hispanic communities showed "more complex patterns."

In other words, decades of spending have not fully overcome shortcomings in regulation or infrastructure.

What's being done?

The research suggests public investment can help. The authors found that loans made under the Safe Drinking Water Act reduce pollution and, at the estimated average cost-effectiveness, could eliminate pollution above health standards for about $46 per person annually.

The researchers also connected those loans to health benefits. Using Medicare data, they found that Safe Drinking Water Act loans reduce mortality rates among older Americans.

Taken together, the findings suggest a need for more upgrades to aging systems, stronger testing, and broader standards that cover more contaminants.

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