U.S. Hispanics High Risk for Arsenic in Drinking Water
NEW YORK, New York, December 17, 2020 (ENS) – Community water systems that fail to comply with the federal arsenic standard are most likely to occur in the Southwest, serving Hispanic communities, rural populations of around 1,000, and those who rely on groundwater, finds a new study from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Arsenic is a toxic human carcinogen and water contaminant present in many aquifers in the United States. The Mailman School researchers found that 38 percent of water systems serving Hispanic communities exceeded the safe maximum arsenic contaminant level, posing concerns about environmental justice.