Residents of the Mississippi Delta are falling prey to waterborne parasites thanks to crumbling infrastructure and subsequent contamination.
What's happening?
As detailed by the Guardian, University of Colorado researchers found that 38% of initial samples from 24 children from Bolivar, Mississippi, showed intestinal parasitic infections, and 80% had high levels of intestinal inflammation, an indication of parasite infection. In an expanded study, 73% of adults had elevated intestinal inflammation.
Further investigation shows that underfunded infrastructure is causing all sorts of sewage leaks, contaminating local drinking water. That contamination is a breeding ground for parasites such as hookworm, roundworm, and tapeworm. Infections aside, residents reported headaches, nausea, vomiting, and sore stomachs. The majority of the residents subjected to these living conditions are Black and low-income.
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Yes — often 😬 Why is water contamination important?
"[Parasites] can shape how your body responds to things throughout your life," report author Tara Cepon-Robins told the Guardian. "It can determine whether you have allergies or autoimmune disorders." This can include nutrient deficiencies, anemia, and malnutrition.
In addition to the obvious human impact, water treatment (or lack thereof) also impacts local ecosystems. Studies show that even with treatment, freshwater species are still subjected to negative impacts from sewage. In oceans, sewage can feed algal blooms that choke off oxygen supplies for other, larger species. This creates dead zones where little wildlife can thrive.
What's being done about water contamination?
Residents of Shaw, Mississippi, won a case in federal court in 1971 alleging local officials practiced discrimination by providing inadequate sewage services in predominantly Black neighborhoods. Officials were ordered to plan a "program of improvements that will, within a reasonable time, remove the disparities that bear so heavily on the black citizens of Shaw," though that order still has yet to be fulfilled, according to the Guardian.
The Environmental Protection Agency has a fund for supporting clean water infrastructure, which has already produced some environmental benefits. However, Dr. Rev. Jason Coker, founder of Delta Hands for Hope, said he didn't expect that the Trump administration would come through with funding in this regard.
"The overall environment is brutal," Dr. Coker told the Guardian. It remains to be seen whether those fears will come to pass or whether the federal government will greenlight more support to rural communities. President Trump has stated publicly that he hopes to prioritize health and clean water, so petitioning representatives about the issue could raise awareness about the matter and result in increased support for communities burdened by unclean water.
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