United States | Safe water

Fixing the lead-pipe problem in Benton Harbor, and across America

Michigan’s latest tainted-water crisis

|Benton Harbor

PEOPLE LIVING in Benton Harbor, Michigan, don’t drink the tap water. Many drive to nearby grocery stores to buy bottles. But unlike her neighbours Lisa Williams does not have a car, so she uses what comes out of her tap, even though the community’s water has tested above the federal-action limit for lead since 2018. “I have to,” Ms Williams laments; the bottled water that volunteers drop off goes only so far.

This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “Message in a bottle”

The threats to the world economy

From the December 4th 2021 edition

Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents

Explore the edition

More from United States

President Donald Trump talks to reporters after signing executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington.

A controversial idea to hand even more power to the president

Impoundment is about to come a step closer

William McKinley.

Checks and Balance newsletter: Trump revives McKinley’s imperial legacy


Incoming "border czar" and former acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement director Tom Homan speaks during a visit to Camp Eagle, Eagle Pass, Texas, USA.

Tom Homan, unleashed

America’s new border czar spent decades waiting for a president like Donald Trump


An unfinished election may shape a swing state’s future

A Supreme Court race ended very close. Then the lawyers arrived.

Donald Trump cries “invasion” to justify an immigration crackdown

His executive orders range from benign to belligerent

To end birthright citizenship, Donald Trump misreads the constitution

A change would also create huge practical problems