Overview
Like most natural disasters that impact public health, droughts can be difficult to predict and the health impacts are often misunderstood. Public health and public health law play an integral role in preparing for and mitigating the health effects of drought, and in helping to create an understanding of the link between scientific research, policy, and actions to protect human health.
Droughts can be difficult to predict, and the health impacts are often misunderstood. Some areas of the country are accustomed to a certain level of drought, while other areas that rely more heavily on rainfall to feed crops or support recreation may suffer severe economic consequences from even short-term drought during certain times of the year. But when we think about drought, we often think about the economic toll and individuals may not understand the health impacts that flow from short- and long-term drought.
The Network’s Climate and Health team recently attended the Drought and Health National Workshop hosted by the University of Nebraska Medical College and the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute to learn more about the science behind drought, its health impacts, and policies and programs to mitigate the health impacts of drought. With a focus on the need for engagement from a wide variety of sectors, the workshop included community, scientific, and policy perspectives. The workshop participants discussed an abundance of scientific research on the indicators and outcomes of droughts, and engaged in thoughtful discussion about opportunities to engage communities and other sectors, including this messaging framework for public health professionals.
Drought can impact health in a number of ways: impacting both the quality and quantity of water supplies, increasing the risk of dust storms and wild fires that lower air quality, creating economic consequences that can have serious mental health impacts, and increasing disease incidence. Public health and public health law are integral to preparing for and mitigating these impacts, and can prompt actions to protect human health by connecting the dots between scientific research and policy development. The Network has written about policies to help mitigate these impacts in other resources about private well safety and testing, wetland protections, and box fans as DIY air cleaners– many of those policies may be useful to mitigating the health impacts of drought.
At the workshop, the Network presented this poster summarizing the scope and extent of selected state laws and policies requiring water quality testing of private wells. Drought can lower water tables which may lead to increased concentration of pollutants in groundwater sources tapped by private wells. Sporadic rains and downpours during drought periods can worsen groundwater contamination as rainwater can channel pollution such as coal ash, animal waste, or fertilizers, into groundwater sources that feed private wells. Without information on well water quality, homeowners and tenants might not be aware that their drinking water puts their health at risk. But state laws can ensure landowners and tenants who obtain water from private wells have the information needed to protect their water sources. However, few states have enacted laws requiring water quality testing of private wells. Even fewer states have enacted laws requiring landlords to collect and report private well water quality information to tenants. This lack of information could have serious health implications for renters, who tend be younger and less well-resourced that home owners, and also has health equity implications, as Black and Hispanic individuals are more likely to rent than own.
As states or localities consider adopting or strengthening private well sampling and protection programs, considerations may include:
- Who must sample their well water quality;
- Health equity implications for those that may be disproportionately affected;
- What triggers this sampling;
- What natural disasters might impact groundwater quality;
- Which pollutants to test for,
- Who the data will be used to protect – owners, renters, neighbors?
- Privacy, or disclosure of the data;
- Notification of affected parties/public of contamination; and
- Whether to develop a remediation program.
The Drought and Health National Workshop helped solidify our resolve that public health law is a necessary piece of the puzzle in protecting people from the health impacts of drought and can be an essential link between scientific research on the health impacts of drought and the development of programs and policies that help us prepare for an unpredictable threat.
This post was written by Betsy Lawton J.D., Deputy Director, Climate and Health, Network for Public Health Law.
The Network promotes public health and health equity through non-partisan educational resources and technical assistance. These materials provided are provided solely for educational purposes and do not constitute legal advice. The Network’s provision of these materials does not create an attorney-client relationship with you or any other person and is subject to the Network’s Disclaimer.
Support for the Network is provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). The views expressed in this post do not represent the views of (and should not be attributed to) RWJF.
