Lack of Access to Clean Water Harms Women of Color

Clean water is unquestionably a priority for Black, Indigenous, and communities of color, and significantly impacts if, when, and how they raise their families, and how they vote.

Access to clean, potable water is critical to our daily lives. People need water to drink, to bathe, to wash their hands, to cook, to survive and, ultimately, to prosper. Despite the necessity of water, millions of individuals living in the United States face the daily reality of exposure to contaminated water sources that present serious risks to reproductive and overall health. Unsafe water can cause serious illness, including cancer in adults and children, and can damage children’s nervous systems and hinder brain development. Unsafe water can also interfere with people’s reproductive health, for example by increasing the chances of experiencing infertility or jeopardizing a person’s ability to have a healthy pregnancy.

Read the full Clean Water and Reproductive Justice: Lack of Access to Clean Water Harms Women of Color policy report below.

Watch the full The Color of Water: Access to Clean Water & Reproductive Justice webinar, recorded on July 15, 2020, in partnership with In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF), The National Partnership for Women & Families, The Sierra Club, and with contributions from National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice.