Health implications of safe drinking water act violations: a county-level analysis

Health-based drinking water violations impact millions of Americans each year. This study examines the relationship between 13 measures of drinking water quality, related to health-based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act, and three self-reported health outcomes (general, physical, and mental health). Analyzing cross-sectional data from 3, 100 counties in the United States using regression analysis, we found statistically significant relationships between health-based violations and all self-reported health outcomes. Specifically, counties with more health-based violations reported a higher percentage of people with fair or poor health, and more physically and mentally unhealthy days. Our findings indicate that a single health-based violation in an average county incurs yearly medical costs of approximately 3. 48 million for physical health and 4. 85 million for mental health. These results highlight the need for policymakers and health professionals to prioritize interventions that address these violations, particularly in vulnerable communities, to mitigate their long-term health impacts.