By Sarah N. Lynch

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The U.S. Justice Department launched Tuesday an environmental justice inquiry into Alabama’s wastewater disposal practices. It is investigating whether these practices are discriminatory against Black residents or put their health at greater danger.

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will lead the inquiry. It will examine the Alabama Department of Public Health and Lowndes County Health Department.

This is the first Title IV investigation by the Justice Department into a grant recipient.

Federal grants can be used to discriminate against local government entities and those receiving federal funds.

“Sanitation is a basic human need, and no one in the United States should be exposed to risk of illness and other serious harm because of inadequate access to safe and effective sewage management,” Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said. 

Hookworm infections are some of the health problems that Black residents have suffered from when they were exposed to raw lowndes County sewage, said she at a press conference.

Unincorporated rural residents aren’t connected to public sewers and rely on private septic tank in permeable clay soil.

Clarke said the Justice Department received allegations on behalf of county residents alleging the Lowndes and state health departments were aware of the health risks from but had failed to do what was necessary to safely dispose of raw sewage.“State and local health officials are obligated, under federal civil rights laws, to protect the health and safety of all their residents,” she said.

The Alabama Health Department sent Reuters an email stating that it is reviewing information from the Justice Department. It could not comment during the investigation and adding, “ADPH is committed in cooperating with investigating agencies to resolve this matter as soon as possible.”

When Lowndes County Health Department was asked to comment, it directed Reuters to its state health department.

Clarke says that Lowndes County lies between Selma, Montgomery. It is predominantly Black, and has a median income of only $30,000.