One neighborhood at the edge of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was left off the grid for decades as municipal water systems expanded around them. The Robert Eubanks community, a historically African American neighborhood, had to rely on private wells, which were often contaminated. They watched – and waited – as the white neighborhoods around them hooked up to city water systems, which residents felt provided cleaner, safer water.

Residents and scholars said race may have played a role in the community’s lack of access to the city water. Reporter Bryn Caswell takes us to the community.

To see the full News21 report on “Troubled Water,” go to troubledwater.news21.com on Aug. 14.

 

Robert Campbell stands at the edge of the forest in his North Carolina community. (Photo by Fionnuala O’Leary/News21)

The post Episode 6: African American neighborhood in North Carolina left behind appeared first on Troubled Water.

Queen Quet, chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation, has advocated for clean well water on St. Helena Island, South Carolina. (Photo by Bryn Caswell/News21)

The majority of the 43 million Americans who rely on private wells for their drinking water also use onsite sewage disposal systems known as septic systems. Septic systems rely on the earth to sanitize the water, but they’re complicated. In fact, many Americans don’t understand how they work. News21 reporter Bryn Caswell explains what these systems do and how they can contaminate drinking water.

To see the full News21 report on “Troubled Water,” go troubledwater.news21.com on Aug. 14.

The post How septic systems can contaminate your drinking water appeared first on Troubled Water.