High percentages of Black, Hispanic Americans worried about tainted water: poll

High percentages of Black and Hispanic Americans surveyed in a new poll say they’re worried about the pollution of drinking water.

The Gallup poll released Wednesday found that 56 percent of American adults overall reported worrying “a great deal” about tainted water, while that figure jumped to 76 percent among Black adults and 70 percent among Hispanic adults. The number dropped to 48 percent among white adults.

The research found that the racial disparities in concern over the issue of water “persist even within political parties,” with Black and Hispanic Democrats noting higher water pollution concerns than white Democrats.

The poll report highlights an overall uptick in concern about the pollution of drinking water after the Flint crisis.

In 2014, state officials in the majority-Black Michigan city switched the water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint River. The change polluted the tap water, exposing thousands of residents to lead in the water, and a Legionnaires’ Disease outbreak was noted during the crisis.

The poll, part of a survey conducted annually between 2019 and 2023, had a margin of error of plus or minus 1.7 percentage points overall. The margin of error was 5.5 percentage points for the 471 Black Americans surveyed and 5 percentage points for the 587 Hispanic Americans surveyed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.