Water

Modern plumbing brought clean, safe drinking water into homes as early as the 19th century. But aging infrastructure and climate change have brought water safety back into the public conversation for the 21st century.

Many US cities still have lead water lines running into homes, schools, and public institutions, especially in areas that were built before the 1950s. The EPA recently amended its rule regarding the threshold for lead in water, citing a growing mountain of evidence showing that there is no “safe” amount of lead exposure, especially for young children.

Meanwhile, climate change has brought on more intense storms that are testing the limits of wastewater and stormwater infrastructure in cities, resulting in drinking water contamination with metals, bacteria, and chemicals.

Researchers at the Department of Environmental Health are investigating the impacts of these toxic exposures in drinking water, while also working in communities and with policymakers to mitigate the health impacts and prevent future exposures.