Standards for arsenic in drinking water: Implications for policy in Mexico

• Published in: Journal of public health policy Vol. 38; no. 4; pp. 395 - 406
• Main Authors: Fisher, Andrew T., López-Carrillo, Lizbeth, Gamboa-Loira, Brenda, Cebrián, Mariano E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Palgrave Macmillan 01.11.2017; Palgrave Macmillan UK
• Subjects: Access to information; Arsenic; Arsenic - adverse effects; Change agents; Contaminants; Contamination; Disease; Drinking water; Drinking Water - standards; Economics; Environmental health; Environmental policy; Equality and Human Rights; Evidence based research; Health care policy; Health Policy; Humans; Information dissemination; Information technology; Maximum Allowable Concentration; Medical Sociology; Mexico; Original Article; Policy making; Politics; Population policy; Public access; Public Health; Public Health - standards; Reforms; Risk communication; Scientific evidence; Social Justice; Social Policy; Social Sciences; Sociology; Telecommunications; Translation; Mexico; Mexico; drinking water; regulation; public health policy; arsenic; governance
• ISSN: 0197-5897; 1745-655X
• DOI: 10.1057/s41271-017-0087-7

Global concern about arsenic in drinking water and its link to numerous diseases make translation of evidence-based research into national policy a priority. Delays in establishing a maximum contaminant level (MCL) to preserve health have increased the burden of disease and caused substantial and avoidable loss of life. The current Mexican MCL for arsenic in drinking water is 25 µg/1 (2.5 times higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation from 1993). Mexico's struggles to set its arsenic MCL offer a compelling example of shortcomings in environmental health policy. We explore factors that might facilitate policy change in Mexico: scientific evidence, risk communication and public access to information, economic and technological resources, and politics. To raise awareness of the health, societal, and economic implications of arsenic contamination of drinking water in Mexico, we suggest action steps for attaining environmental policy change and better protect population health.