Newswise — PROVIDENCE, R.I.
Researchers from Brown University's School of Public Health faced significant challenges when attempting to collect data on the health impacts of the enduring water contamination crisis in Jackson, Mississippi. Despite their efforts, limited information was accessible, including scant data on the toxicity of the water supply.
So they turned to two sources that were accessible — school attendance records and public safety alerts that advised residents to boil water before use.
The team's analysis, as published in Nature Water, revealed the significant impact of boil water alerts on student education. The study demonstrated that with each alert issued, unexcused absence rates in Jackson's public schools spiked by 1% to 10%. This disruption in student attendance highlights the detrimental effects of the ongoing water contamination crisis on the local community's education system.
Erica Walker, the lead author of the study and an assistant professor of epidemiology at Brown University, emphasized that chronic school absenteeism has far-reaching consequences beyond just academic performance. The research indicates that chronic absenteeism is associated with a higher likelihood of experiencing poverty, as well as declines in mental and physical well-being. This underscores the profound impact of the water contamination crisis on the health and overall well-being of the affected children in Jackson, Mississippi.
Walker pointed out that the repercussions of the water contamination crisis go beyond immediate gastrointestinal illness from consuming unsafe water. The study's findings highlight the long-term impact of chronic exposure to contaminated water on a child's life trajectory. It goes beyond physical health issues and sheds light on how prolonged exposure to unsafe water can have detrimental effects on various aspects of a child's life, potentially impacting their overall well-being and future opportunities. The findings underscore the urgent need to address and mitigate the long-term consequences of water contamination crises on vulnerable communities.
The water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi has garnered global attention as a significant environmental catastrophe with profound implications for the health and well-being of its residents. In this study, the researchers specifically focused on the city's most vulnerable population: its children. Recognizing that children are particularly susceptible to the impacts of contaminated water, the study sheds light on the dire consequences of the crisis on the youngest members of the community. By highlighting the disproportionate effects on vulnerable populations, the study underscores the urgent need for effective interventions to mitigate the impacts of water contamination crises and safeguard the health and well-being of vulnerable communities, particularly children who are at greater risk.
For their study, the research team utilized multiple sources of data. This included information on boil water alerts that were issued by the City of Jackson's Water and Sewer Business Administration Office from 2015 to 2021. Additionally, the team collected daily school attendance data from Jackson's Public School District. To better understand the demographic context, they also incorporated demographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. By combining and analyzing these various datasets, the researchers were able to gain insights into the impacts of boil water alerts on school attendance and shed light on the effects of the water contamination crisis on the local community, specifically focusing on the city's children.
The data showed that each time a boil water alert was issued, unexcused absence rates increased by 1 to 10%.
They also showed decreases in unexcused absences in schools where much of the student body receives free and reduced lunches — likely, Walker said, because the water contamination disrupts at-home meal preparation, so families may instead count on schools to safely provide lunch for children that day.
Initially, as the director of the Community Noise Lab at Brown, Erica Walker had intended to study the impacts of noise pollution on public health in Jackson, Mississippi. However, upon realizing that the pressing issue for the community was the ongoing water contamination crisis, Walker pivoted her research focus accordingly. This demonstrates the importance of responsive and community-driven research, as Walker recognized the urgent need to address the immediate and severe health consequences of the water contamination crisis in Jackson. By shifting her research focus, Walker and her team were able to investigate the impacts of the crisis on school attendance and highlight the critical need for solutions to mitigate its detrimental effects on the community, particularly on vulnerable populations such as children.
She formed a team consisting of graduate students from Brown University to establish mobile laboratories throughout the city to conduct ongoing testing of tap water quality. In addition, Walker collaborated with researchers from esteemed institutions such as the University of Mississippi, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston University, and Salem State University to delve deeper into the impact of contaminated water on community health. They realized that using boil water alerts as a widespread measure would make the findings easily comprehensible to the public.
The study findings emphasized the critical need to address the underlying factors contributing to the subpar water quality in Jackson. The researchers put forth recommendations on how municipalities can better communicate about contaminated water, such as utilizing social media posts, voicemails, or door-to-door outreach when feasible. They also proposed that the Mississippi Department of Health create a sample press release for local water systems, which would provide comprehensive information about the cause of the boil water alert, the affected population, and recommended precautions to be taken, including public schools. These suggestions aim to improve awareness and understanding among the public regarding water quality concerns.
The team said the findings could benefit other cities struggling with poor water infrastructure and shed light on the many issues directly and indirectly caused by boil water alerts. Team members from MIT created a data visualization to engage the community both within Jackson and across the world about the research findings.
A personal connection to a community project
As a native of Jackson, this issue holds personal significance for Walker. She recalls that during her childhood, boil water alerts were not something she remembers hearing about. However, in 2020 alone, Walker highlighted that the City of Jackson had to issue around 500 boil water advisories due to compromised drinking water. These interruptions varied in duration, ranging from a few hours to weeks-long occurrences, indicating the severity and frequency of the problem.
In a commentary for Nature Water that accompanied the study, Walker imagined what it would be like to live with the water crisis in Jackson.
Walker eloquently expressed in her commentary that when a boil water advisory is issued, families with school-aged children in the affected communities face significant challenges. Basic tasks that are often taken for granted, such as brushing teeth, taking medications, and preparing meals, become arduous or even impossible due to the need to boil water before consuming it. This highlights the immense burden and disruptions that the water crisis places on everyday life, particularly for vulnerable populations, and underscores the urgent need for addressing the issue in Jackson and other similar communities.
Walker’s essay explored her nostalgia for the Jackson of her youth, and her feelings of survivor’s guilt. She wrote, “Would I be who I am now if I lived in the Jackson that exists today?”
Walker shared that the team took proactive measures to empower the community by providing training on water testing to community members and students at the Piney Woods School, a historically Black co-educational private boarding school in Mississippi. As their next steps, the team aims to utilize the data collected from the mobile testing labs to investigate the biological effects of contaminated water. Additionally, they have created an activity book designed for children and adults, which explains the current water situation in Jackson and the process of drinking water from its source. The goal is to enhance public understanding, so that the next time a boil water notice is issued, people will have a better grasp of its implications and how it directly affects them. Walker's efforts exemplify a commitment to educating and empowering the community with knowledge about their water quality and safety.
“Hopefully,” she said, “this community research partnership will lead to education, empowerment and advocacy around the issue of contaminated water and how it impacts public health.”
The research was supported in part by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Carl Kawaja and Wendy Holcombe Endowed Fund.
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