Alabama's Water Crisis

 

     While most Alabamians take water for granted, thousands of residents in Alabama struggle to access clean drinking water. Over 30% of residents in Alabama’s Black Belt Region don’t have access to a public water system, since it’s often too costly to extend water services into rural areas. These families instead rely on private wells to draw water—but many of these wells are failing. Some wells crack and become contaminated with bacteria from nearby septic run-off, and testing from the health department often reveals the presence of e. Coli and other fecal chloroform bacteria, making the water unsafe to drink or cook with. Other wells fail mechanically, causing a drop in water pressure that makes it impossible to take a bath or wash dishes. Replacing a water well can cost between ten and fifteen thousand dollars and is often too expensive for families where poverty rates are high. Many families are instead forced to rely on bottled water to drink and cook with, since they have no source of clean water in their home.