As the residents of Flint, Michigan, grapple with the thorny problem of how to live in a place where the water is toxic, concern about drinking water safety has spread across the US.
The Rural Blog reportsthat 55% of rural area have higher-than-average lead levels. The High Plains region appears to be some of the most dangerous in the nation, viewed as part of a thick red strip of lead danger that makes up the center part of the continental United States, according to an interactive map published on Vox.com.
Only 17 rural tracts nationwide have a lead exposure risk of 10, which is the highest rating possible. But over half have a risk of 6 or greater. Kansas and Nebraska have large swaths of lead exposure risks. In fact, 92 percent of the state of Nebraska is at risk for lead contamination.