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This publication received wide press coverage, featured in <\/em>Newsweek<\/a>, <\/em>New York Post<\/a>, and <\/em>Phys.org<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n A recent study published in Environmental Health Perspectives<\/em>, featuring STEEP co-authors Jahred Liddie, PhD and Laurel Schaider, PhD, sought to evaluate the relationship between sociodemographic disparities and unregulated industrial contaminants in US public water systems (PWS).<\/p>\n Researchers gathered Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data, PWS characteristics, sociodemographic data, and suspected pollution sources from regulatory databases. Contaminants measured were PFAS, 1,4-dioxane, 1,1-dichloroethane, and chlorodifluoromethane (HCFC-22), and detections were captured for each the four contaminants, detection of more than one target contaminant, and PWS exceedance of more than one EPA regulatory level in effect in 2017.<\/p>\n Research results found more than 97 million US residents were served by a PWS with detectable levels of 1,4-dioxane (22% of PWS), HCFC-22 (5.8%), 1,1-dichloroethane (4.7%), and\/or PFAS (4.0%). Unregulated contaminant detection was more common in large systems, urban systems, and systems using groundwater or a combination of groundwater and surface water. PWS with detectable levels served counties with higher proportions of Hispanic residents (17% vs. 13% of undetected), as did PWS exceeding regulations (18% vs. 14% not exceeded). Positive associations were found between proportions of Hispanic residents and contamination, even after accounting for pollution sources.<\/p>\n Results demonstrated that previous research underestimated exposure because of the exclusion of unregulated contaminants. PWS serving more Hispanic residents, non-Hispanic Black residents, and urban households would benefit from additional resources about unregulated chemical contamination, and research should continue to evaluate factors to protect water quality for all residents.<\/p>\n