Urban Water Quality and Public Health

It is no secret that water is essential to life; or, that clean water is essential to health. It may be less commonly known that, even with successful environmental regulations in place, water resources in the United States remain threatened. There are more than two million Americans who live without access to clean, affordable drinking water ( Dig Deep and US Water Alliance, 2019 ). And, more than 70% of all Americans live within two miles of a polluted lake, river, stream or coastal area ( US EPA, 2016 ). 

Urban waterways are the lifeblood of American cities, enabling their tremendous growth throughout history. However, urban waters today are particularly vulnerable to pollution from a variety of sources—like stormwater runoff, industrial waste, and combined sewer overflows—that result in environmental hazards to public health. This is especially true in historically marginalized communities where the water resources are inaccessible for drinking, recreation, fishing and more.

To address the water issues in urban centers, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began the  Urban Waters Federal Partnership  in 2011. Today, there are 20 designated locations across the country in which urban waters practitioners from multiple sectors work together to solve water quality, flooding, and other issues afflicting vulnerable communities.

Each of the organizations—Groundwork Denver, Heal the Bay, and NY/NJ Baykeeper—works in vastly different settings and faces different water quality issues. Monitoring water quality, raising public awareness and working to improve the state of their urban waters fosters the growth of healthy rivers and healthy communities. Ultimately, all three organizations are working toward healthier environments for underserved communities living in and around their urban waterways.