AI Generated Image
No constitutional right to clean water, federal court finds
USA Today • • nation
Key Points:
- A federal appeals court ruled that the U.S. Constitution does not guarantee the right to clean drinking water, rejecting a lawsuit by Jackson, Mississippi residents over lead-contaminated water.
- The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court's dismissal, stating that lead-contaminated water does not infringe on a deeply rooted constitutional right to bodily integrity under the 14th Amendment.
- Judge Kurt Engelhardt emphasized the lack of historical precedent or Supreme Court rulings supporting a constitutional right to clean water or truthful information from officials during a public health crisis.
- The lawsuit arose from Mississippi State Health Department testing between 2010 and 2013 that showed rising lead levels, with plaintiffs alleging city mismanagement and false assurances about water safety.
- The court suggested residents seek remedies through political processes rather than constitutional claims, noting that while some states protect access to safe water, it is not a federally guaranteed right.
