It's not just Flint: Dangerous drinking water troubles communities across the country

In urban and rural parts of the United States, the water system is in crisis, with no money available to fix crumbling, 70-year-old infrastructure. It's a $400 billion problem, the EPA says.

The Opportunity Atlas/Screenshot by NPR Will your kids have a better life than you? Your neighborhood plays a huge role People born in the 1940s or '50s were virtually guaranteed to earn more than their parents did, but by the mid-'80s, only half of kids were likely to — "a coin flip." Researchers working with census data found that kids living in some neighborhoods were much more likely to climb the economic ladder than in others, regardless of race or class. They also found that moving a poor child to a better area boosted lifetime income by $200,000. But they hope the data can help poorer neighborhoods improve. Amy McGrath for Congress/Screenshot by NPR Tough as nails! Warm and nurturing! The dozen female veterans running for the U.S. House try to balance voter expectations Combat helicopters are sharing screen time with strollers in this year’s political ads. Campaign strategists say it’s part of a broader trend toward candidates trying to display more authenticity – though some voters have been known to ding mothers for taking time away from their kids. But there are benefits to showing that side, one candidate says. "There might not be a whole lot of people that really can relate to being a fighter pilot. ... But there's a ton of people that can relate to being a mom." Frank Langfitt/NPR An emboldened China is exporting its strong-arm media tactics to the West, trying to shut down dissent even outside its own borders The country has near-total control of media at home; abroad, it has begun using its economic clout to encourage foreigners to stick to the Communist Party’s preferred message, getting meetings with the Dalai Lama canceled, hinting at trade repercussions and arm-twisting apologies out of corporations. Some firms don’t even need to be pressured anymore. A London football tournament highlighting disenfranchised peoples denied requests from spooked sponsors to boot a Tibetan team and lost $100,000. Full series: China Unbound Rich-Joseph Facun for NPR An industrial spill and a failing private utility leave an Appalachian community with a drinking water disaster In 2000, a coal sludge spill dumped heavy metals and other toxins in the rivers. The water utility's pipes have become leaky straws, losing 65 percent of treated water before it reaches taps. Broken pumps mean the reservoir is draining. There was a main break and a boil-water advisory every other week last year. And in Martin County, Ky., there’s no money to fix any of it. Residents are looking at 50 percent rate hikes for water that looks or smells bad — when it’s there at all. Mary Mathis/NPR Get your dang flu shot, people More than 80,000 Americans died from flu-related illnesses last year, the highest number in four decades. A vaccination rate higher than 47 percent could have saved some of them. Some of the worst offenders are college students, one survey found, with as little as 8 percent getting vaccinated — and in close campus quarters, illness can spread fast. Getting the shot protects seniors and kids around you and eases your symptoms if you still get sick, an official says. "The time to get vaccinated is right now." You received this message because you're subscribed to our Best of NPR emails. |  Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy | NPR 1111 N. CAPITOL ST. NE WASHINGTON DC 20002