How COVID-19 Is Driving Better Drinking Water Access In The U.S. More than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic and with much of the U.S. opening back up, its residual effects on the country’s systems are becoming clear. And few areas of daily life have been more heavily impacted than drinking water systems. Handwashing and the use of clean water in the home were identified early on as critical practices for curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus, but as many drinking water managers already knew, access to this vital resource is not equitable across the nation. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored that fact for much more of the country.