Confidence in Safety of Tap Water Is Lower Among People of Color, Poll Finds
By Grace McRae, Sierra Club
The drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan and its public health consequences have been in the headlines for months, prompting a national debate over the state of America’s water infrastructure and management. We know that the pollution of all kinds disproportionately affects low-income communities of color, and a new Associated Press-GfK poll shows that this inequality is reflected in public attitudes around the country.
The survey, fielded in February, found that fewer than half of American adults (47 percent) feel very confident that the tap water in their home is “safe to drink.” Another 33 percent feel just moderately confident, and 18 percent do not have confidence in the safety of their tap water. Importantly, trust is even weaker among respondents of color and those with lower household incomes. Just 40percent of black respondents and 29 percent of Latino respondents feel very confident about the safety of their tap water, compared to 54 percent of white respondents. Among American adults with household incomes greater than $100,000 per year, six-in-ten feel very confident about their tap water. But fewer than four-in-ten adults with household incomes less than $50,000 feel so confident.
Many Americans worry that the crisis in Flint is a sign of broader problems. The majority of survey respondents (56 percent) believe the tap water in Flint being contaminated with lead was not an isolated incident, but rather “a sign of a more widespread problem.” Four-in-ten (42 percent) think it is an isolated case. Researchers note that “blacks are significantly more likely than whites to think it’s a sign of a more widespread problem,” although the exact percentage was not cited. Nearly six-in-ten respondents reported following the situation in Flint at least somewhat closely, including 21 percent who are paying “extremely” close attention to it.
When it comes to the role of the federal government, half of Americans (50 percent) think the federal government should be doing more to ensure safe drinking water nationally, compared with just 7 percent who want the government to do less. Four-in-ten adults say the federal government’s current level of involvement is about right. The position that the federal government should do more is especially strong among black respondents (69 percent), Latino respondents (62 percent), and those with household incomes less than $50,000 (57 percent).
Families across the country are paying close attention to the news coming out of Flint, Michigan. But this issues doesn’t end when the television cameras leave. This is an issue that matters to all Americans, because every community is at risk of dirty air and contaminated water as safeguards are dismantled. Every person — regardless of where they live, the color of their skin, or how much money they make — deserves access to clean and safe water.