When people think of water crises in the United States Flint, Michigan is usually where their minds go. However, the problem is not only in Flint, as shown in this documentary by CNN. This video directly follows the lives of multiple victims effected by water crises in Denmark, South Carolina and Enterprise, Louisiana.

Residents of Denmark, Paula and Eugene smith have been living absolutely without faucet water for over nine years. This is because for a long time the water was brown and contained rather high levels of lead. Eugene Smith’s doctor specifically advised him not to ingest or absorb the water through his skin because the amount of lead could potentially be toxic. Not only is the water high in lead, but it is high in iron, copper, and manganese, which essentially made their water impossible to use. In 2018 after almost ten years without faucet water, many lawsuits, and denied tests on the town’s well, it was released to the public that a chemical called HaloSan, a disinfectant typically used for spas, has been in the towns water for about a decade.

In Enterprise, there was a ‘boiling advisory’ for the number of dangerous bacteria in their water. This means that residents were expected to boil their water clean, at the risk of making the already illegal lead limit in the water higher. Jodie Vinson actually contracted bacterial meningitis from these events, as well as other residents being in a constant state of illness due to the water contamination.

In my sociology class this week, we briefly discussed Social Darwinism; the idea that societies evolve and adapt over time to the changes in their environment. This is apparent in every situation where there is water crisis, or just a lack of resources: the general population just learns to live without it. This is clear in Denmark, South Carolina where Eugene and Paula have to travel ten miles outside of town to find a spicket in a park to fill up many water jugs to take back home with them for the week. Social Darwinism can also be seen in Enterprise, Louisiana, where Jodie Vinson receives cases of donated bottled water, but not always enough. The Vinson family goes through about ten cases of bottled water a week for activities such as cooking, brushing their teeth, and drinking. These effected people have had to adapt to their lack of access to clean water, which should be provided by the government. Therefore, permanently changing the state of these communities until they receive the funding to provide clean water to their residents.

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