Drinking water contaminant concentrations and birth outcomes

Previous research in the U.S. has found negative health effects of contamination when it triggers regulatory violations. An important question is whether levels of contamination that do not trigger a health-based violation impact health. We study the impact of drinking water contamination in community water systems on birth outcomes using drinking water sampling results data in Pennsylvania. We focus on the effects of water contamination for births not exposed to regulatory violations. Our most rigorous specification employs mother fixed effects and finds changing from the 10th to the 90th percentile of water contamination (among births not exposed to regulatory violations) increases low birth weight by 12% and preterm birth by 17%.

Automated summary

This study found that even without triggering regulatory violations, changes in drinking water contamination levels can have negative effects on birth outcomes. Among births not exposed to regulatory violations, increasing water contamination from the 10th to the 90th percentile resulted in a 12% increase in low birth weight and a 17% increase in preterm birth.