Why are only black neighborhoods being contaminated with lead in their water??

[a kennedy]

Detroit and now in New Jersey?? WHAT THE HELL??? and I hate to wish this horrible situation on ANY town, but why IS IT ALWAYS IN BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS???
.

[marble falls]

1. Things that makes one go 'hmmmmmm'.

[mrs_p]

2. There is certainly systemic racism in which

this is a part. However, lack of infrastructural support has also contributed significantly. Both of my daughter’s schools in Ithaca and Portland (predominately white and middle class) have had lead contamination in the water.

[demosincebirth]

3. Probably the oldest neighborhoods.

[jaysunb]

7. Also, under serviced and updated, infrastructure. N/t

[moondust]

4. Apparently widespread.

I don't know if this 2016 story has been corroborated. I don't recall ever seeing it reported on TV news.

A Reuters examination of lead testing results across the country found almost 3,000 areas with poisoning rates far higher than in the tainted Michigan city. Yet many of these lead hotspots are receiving little attention or funding.

The thousands of U.S. locales where lead poisoning is worse than in Flint

[procon]

5. Poor communities always get shortshrift in

most municipal budget planning. The symptoms that produce lead in a public water source is just one more sign of a decaying society.

Be it black, white or anything else, the poorest neighborhoods always get far less of any public funding than more affluent communities. This is an historical fact even in cities that try to be fair and responsive.

They poor are seen to be powerless, voiceless and easily distracted so it's easy to allocate the least public services, the fewest infrastructure improvements, the lowest priorities in health and safety. OTOH, they do get lots of police scrutiny and creative methods that transfers their limited wealth to city coffers.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. Typically it would be the oldest part of a city,

which are probably also the most densely populated and lower-income. In my city lead pipes were phased out in 1927, which might be typical in many cities, but some water pipes are much older than that. Unless the city or the homeowner (for the pipes from the street) has replaced the pipes the lead is still there. So anyone who lives in an older part of their city is more likely to have lead pipes, either the water mains or the pipes leading to their house. In poorer neighborhoods it's less probable that old pipes leading to or within a house have ever been replaced.

I'm pretty sure the pipes from the street to my house are the original ones because my house was built before 1900. The city tests for lead periodically so I'm not too worried, but we've been told that to reduce the likelihood of getting any lead in the drinking water we should use cold water for cooking (not hot water from the tap), and if the water hasn't been used for a long time, run the tap for awhile before using any water.

[OnDoutside]

8. That makes sense.

[Hekate]

9. It's all about decaying infrastructure and where the money goes & does not go. It's about poverty...

It's about poor people of any color finding their voices, finding leaders, learning how to demand and attend public meetings.

It's just really hard to do this when you and your children are sick as well as disempowered.

And yes, as Flint proved, there is powerful racism involved as well.

Follow the money.

[xmas74]

10. They're not.

It's poor communities. I'm in Missouri and we have areas that are pretty nasty. One of the worst in the state is very poor and mostly white. Flint received so much attention because of its size and the switch in its water source made it worse. Some of these rural communities have dealt with it for decades.

[live love laugh]

11. Chicago too. nt

[JustAnotherGen]

12. Red Lining

This problem started in the 1930's, and amplified by white flight in post WW II America.

Then in 1976 Reagan spewed his Welfare Queen bullshit, and the 1994 Contract on Black American Women and there you have it.

It's simple.

Legally herd people together, strangle resources they pay for (taxes) which kills infrastructure renewal in their neighborhoods and there you have it.

Us is pissed. Vote like your life depends upon it - and those of your allies.