Date of Award
6-2020
Document Type
Open Access
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Sociology
First Advisor
Deidre Hill Butler
Keywords
Arsenic, New Hampshire, Nova Scotia, Poverty, Education
Abstract
The regions of Nova Scotia and New Hampshire are naturally susceptible to arsenic water contamination due to their geological makeup. These locations are relatively rural, with many of their citizens reporting low incomes and lacking education, the majority of which are unaware of the risk of arsenic poisoning. There is also a high dependency on private wells which are not regulated in terms of water quality under federal law in both countries. Arsenic water pollution is undetectable as it is both odorless and tasteless and potentially very dangerous, and therefore water testing must be performed on wells, which is currently the responsibility of the well owners in both regions. Through numerous case studies regarding arsenic contamination in Nova Scotia and New Hampshire, research found that federal policy is needed to protect against long-term exposure to arsenic in private well water. This policy must be accessible and affordable in order to ensure the safety of the most vulnerable populations in Canada and the United States.
Recommended Citation
Spooner, Kathleen, "There Must be Something in the Water: A Comparative Study of Ground Water Contamination in the U.S.A. and Canada" (2020). Honors Theses. 2368.
https://digitalworks.union.edu/theses/2368
Included in
Demography, Population, and Ecology Commons, Educational Sociology Commons, Environmental Education Commons, Environmental Health and Protection Commons, Environmental Policy Commons, Health Policy Commons, Inequality and Stratification Commons, Medicine and Health Commons, Natural Resources Management and Policy Commons, Other Sociology Commons, Place and Environment Commons
Rights Statement
