Federal court rules there is no constitutional right to safe drinking water
Years after a water crisis rocked Jackson, Mississippi, the court finds that residents have no right “to truthful information from officials.”
A federal appeals court has ruled there is no constitutional right to safe drinking water in the United States. The decision came after a lawsuit was filed by residents of Jackson, Mississippi, who claimed the city's water was contaminated and officials misled the public about its safety. The Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the case in a September 4 ruling, stating that while access to safe water is important, it is not a constitutional right protected by the Constitution.
Jackson is over 80% Black and has a poverty rate more than double the national average. Critics argue the ruling signals that Black communities may face serious consequences from unsafe water systems with limited legal remedies.
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