Water Insecurity and Population Health: Implications for Health Equity and Policy

The U.S. has enough water to meet the needs of its residents, but widespread inequalities in access to clean water and sanitation infrastructure undermine human health, and ongoing climate change presents new threats to water security. Much of the water and wastewater infrastructure in the U.S. is insufficient and aging.

Water insecurity can have important implications for health and health equity. Improving access to clean water and sanitation is widely considered to be among the most impactful public health interventions ever undertaken. Achieving universal water security requires strategies to advance access to safe, reliable, affordable drinking water and equitable protection from water-related threats. Read more from Health Affairs here.