In a newly released report, the Pacific Institute and DigDeep, in partnership with the Center for Water Security and Cooperation, paint a sobering picture of how climate change is straining access to water and sanitation in communities throughout the United States. The new research details how frontline communities, those hit “first and worst” by climate change, face disproportionate impacts in the United States when trying to access basic water and sanitation systems. The report, entitled “Climate Change Impacts to Water and Sanitation for Frontline Communities in the United States,” is the first in the new multi-report series: “Water, Sanitation, and Climate Change in the United States.”
For the millions of people in the United States who currently lack basic indoor plumbing or have unsafe water, climate change will continue to exacerbate their ability to access water and sanitation. The report outlines how this can lead to backsliding, the process by which a climate change impact causes a home or a community to lose access to safe drinking water or a functioning sanitation system, either temporarily or permanently.
“Innovative approaches are going to be required to close the water access gap and ensure that water and sanitation systems serving frontline communities are climate resilient for the long term,” said Dr. Shannon McNeeley, Senior Researcher and Water and Climate Equity Lead of the Pacific Institute.
The report outlines how this can lead to backsliding, the process by which a climate change impact causes a home or a community to lose access to safe drinking water or a functioning sanitation system, either temporarily or permanently
“The staggering reality that millions in the U.S. lack basic water services underscores the urgent need for systemic change. We're at a critical juncture where investing in climate-resilient water infrastructure is not just a necessity for public health but a fundamental step towards social justice and equity,” said Kimberly Lemme, Executive Director of DigDeep Labs.
The report highlights how a changing climate has altered the water cycle, increased the occurrence of climate catastrophes, and weakened the nation’s aging water infrastructure. It offers a synthesis of climate impacts, highlighting the disproportionate burdens shouldered by frontline communities. Specifically, the report highlights challenges across six key climate change phenomena, concluding that marginalized communities' access to water and sanitation will likely worsen as these intensify:
- Drought, worsened by climate change, is resulting in reduced water availability, especially for rural communities dependent on shallow wells.
- Flooding, a costly and growing risk from changes in the amount and timing of extreme precipitation events, is among the most expensive disasters in the United States, causing damage to water and sanitation infrastructure and contaminating water supplies in rural and urban communities.
- Sea level rise has compounded risks for wastewater treatment infrastructure. Damage is causing loss of sanitation access not just for those along the coasts, but for many times the number of people inland who are no longer connected to functioning systems.
- Extreme storms, like hurricanes and tornadoes, disproportionately impact Black, Hispanic, disabled, and low-income communities. Impacts include chemical exposure from contaminated water and a lack of resources for bottled water before services are renewed due to disabilities, financial constraints, and other factors.
- Extreme temperatures, both hot and cold, can disrupt water access, harm water quality, and compound health risks in vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, outdoor laborers, or those experiencing homelessness.
- Recovery and remediation of water contaminated by wildfire debris is costly, placing especially high burdens on low-income households.
“By delving into the intersection of water, sanitation, and climate change, this report makes a unique contribution to our understanding of a national crisis. It highlights the necessity of addressing climate impacts in tandem with water and sanitation issues to effectively support frontline communities,” said Alexandra Campbell-Ferrari, Executive Director of the Center for Water Security and Cooperation.
The “Water, Sanitation, and Climate Change in the United States” series illuminates and addresses the critical intersection of climate change, water, and equity in the United States. The series focuses on exploring the profound impacts of climate change on water and sanitation access for frontline communities. Future installments, covering laws and policies, challenges and barriers, and strategies and approaches, are set for release later this year. The second part in the series focused on laws and policies will be released in spring 2024.
