Disparities in Drinking Water Security: Implications for Achieving SDG 6 in Native American Nations in the United States

Abstract

Safe drinking water is a fundamental human right, yet socioeconomic vulnerability creates water insecurity even in high-income nations. Rural Native American nations in the United States experience notable gaps in reliable, safe water. This study investigated how structural disadvantage shapes disparities in regulatory compliance of community water systems, relating findings to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (universal access to clean water and sanitation). Regulatory violation records (2011–2021) for community water systems serving Native American populations in Arizona, California, Nevada, and New Mexico. Systems were classified by size and socioeconomic context. Multiparametric and nonparametric analyses examined violation frequencies and types, emphasizing health-based infractions. Median household income and poverty rate served as covariates. Smaller, rural systems showed significantly higher overall violation rates than larger, affluent counterparts (p < 0.01). Health-based violations comprised most breaches. Violation frequency correlated negatively with median income (r = −0.62) and positively with poverty rates (r = 0.58). The disparity persisted throughout the decade, indicating a chronic regulatory gap affecting Native American communities. These findings expose systemic inequities in water governance that perpetuate insecurity among underserved U.S. populations. Health-related violations in small, disadvantaged systems highlight shortcomings in regulatory oversight and resource distribution, demonstrating how domestic drinking-water inequities reflect broader challenges articulated in sustainable development goal (SDG) 6, particularly targets 6.1 (universal access to safe drinking water) and 6.b (community participation in water governance). Structural disadvantage drives disproportionate regulatory noncompliance in Native American community water systems, hindering progress toward SDG 6. Policymakers should prioritize targeted infrastructure investment, expand technical assistance for small systems, and embed equity-focused metrics within regulatory frameworks to close the safety gap and promote environmental justice.