title: Investigating social inequalities in exposure to drinking water contaminants in rural areas.
abstract: Few studies have assessed social inequalities in exposure to drinking water contaminants. This study explores this issue in 593 rural municipalities of Québec, Canada. Quartiles of an ecological composite deprivation index were used as a proxy of socioeconomic status. Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and lead were chosen as proxies of chemical drinking water quality. The results show that the majority of deprived rural municipalities apply no treatment to their water (26%) or use a basic treatment (51%), whereas a relative majority of the wealthiest municipalities (40%) use advanced treatment. The proportion of municipalities having important lead (>5 μg/L) levels is highest in most deprived municipalities. Moreover, most deprived municipalities have a higher risk of high tap lead levels (RR = 1.33; 95%CI: 1.30, 1.36). Conversely, most deprived municipalities have a lower risk of high TTHMs levels (RR = 0.78; 95%CI: 0.69, 0.86). These findings suggest an environmental inequality in drinking water contaminants distribution in rural municipalities.
authors.affiliation: École supérieure d'aménagement du territoire et de développement régional (ESAD), Université Laval, 1624 Pavillon Savard, Québec, QC, G1K-7P4, Canada. Electronic address: Ianis.Delpla@crad.ulaval.ca.
authors.forename: Ianis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Delpla
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health and Social Policy, McGill University, Meredith Charles House, 1130 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, QC, H3A 1A3, Canada.
authors.forename: Tarik
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Benmarhnia
authors.affiliation: École supérieure d'aménagement du territoire et de développement régional (ESAD), Université Laval, 1624 Pavillon Savard, Québec, QC, G1K-7P4, Canada; Evaluation Platform on Obesity Prevention, Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Québec, QC, G1K-7P4, Canada.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lebel
authors.affiliation: Direction de la santé environnementale et de la toxicologie, Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, Québec, QC, G1V 5B3, Canada; Axe santé des populations et pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire (CHU) de Québec, Québec, QC, G1V 2M2, Canada.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Levallois
authors.affiliation: École supérieure d'aménagement du territoire et de développement régional (ESAD), Université Laval, 1624 Pavillon Savard, Québec, QC, G1K-7P4, Canada.
authors.forename: Manuel J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
mesh_terms: D002947:Cities; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis*; D011792:Quebec; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D022882:Trihalomethanes / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D060753:Water Quality; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water; D022882:Trihalomethanes; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D007854:Lead
keywords: Chemical drinking water quality; Environmental justice; Rural areas