Water Access is Not an Automatic For Millions of American Homes

This was a story that aired on CBS program Sunday Morning this past weekend, which was quite shocking.              

In the report, it was shown how many Americans are forced to go without something that most of us likely have long taken for granted: simply having running water inside the comfort of your own home. As it turns out, approximately two million Americans are forced to go without reasonably clean water  - and sometimes any water more generally, clean or not – within their own homes. They do not have access to clean water for drinking, nor for bathing or cleaning dishes. Or simply filling up the kettle for a cup of coffee.              

Unbelievable as it may be, those two million people are scattered throughout the contiguous states. Perhaps the least surprising would be in western states that tend to be dry, with little rain on average. But there are also homes much further east, such as in West Virginia. The country has it’s problems and limitations, but it still feels quite shocking to think that this kind of water shortage is going on, while most of us hardly even pay attention to such issues. Most probably take it for granted, assuming that this was a problem of the past, and not as common as it actually is.              

Here is the video of the story, which originally aired this past week on CBS Sunday Morning. Please take a look at it, because this feels like yet one more incident that betrays some real injustice and shocking levels of poverty in what is still supposed to be the wealthiest, most advanced nation in the world.