Scientists uncover troubling health risks that can occur after rainfall: 'This is a complicated issue'

Black and Latino communities are bearing the brunt of E. coli-contaminated waters due to extreme rainfall in Texas, according to a new study.

What happened?

The University of Michigan-led research looked at Escherichia coli, climate, environmental, and socioeconomic data available for the state between 2001 and 2021 and used computational models to explore where extreme rainfall had the greatest impact on E. coli levels.

News Medical Life Sciences summarized the paper, explaining that the impact varied by season. For instance, communities in the northern and eastern parts of the state with greater percentages of Black residents had higher concentrations of E. coli entering their recreational waters due to extreme rain during the winter. Predominantly Latino communities in South and West Texas feel these effects in September.

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"This is a complicated issue," lead author Xiaofeng Liu told the publication. "The communities live in these places all the time, but the rainfall impact is different in different seasons." 

Why is this research important?

Exposure to E. coli bacteria can cause symptoms including mild to severe diarrhea, stomach cramping, nausea, and vomiting, according to the Mayo Clinic. While healthy adults usually recover within a week, seniors and young children are at greater risk of developing a life-threatening form of kidney failure.

But E. coli is just one public health concern for communities of color across the United States. For instance, rising seas and frequent bouts of torrential rain are causing septic tanks across the South to fail, flooding streets and backyards with waste and putting communities at risk for gastrointestinal diseases and other health hazards. In Alabama's majority-Black Lowndes County, where septic systems are becoming increasingly overwhelmed, at least a third of people have tested positive for hookworm, a disease normally found in developing countries. 

What's being done about E. coli in our waters?

Liu told News Medical Life Sciences that the study can help guide local governments and environmental agencies to develop targeted policies and water management practices that can assist impacted communities.

But such public health hazards are driven by intense precipitation, which is one outcome of the overheating planet, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. That's why it's imperative that we all work to curb the amount of planet-heating pollution that we produce. For instance, towns in rural Virginia are adding over 1 million new jobs by focusing on clean energy instead of coal. You can help by voting for eco-friendly political candidates during the next election cycle.

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