Carletta Davis, a longtime environmental justice advocate in Prichard, Alabama, is campaigning for mayor after federal support for clean water projects collapsed under the Trump administration.
Jessica Kutz reports for The 19th.
In short:
- Davis’s hometown of Prichard has suffered decades of water infrastructure neglect, with over 50 million gallons of raw sewage spilled since 2021 and elevated levels of cancer-linked chemicals detected in drinking water.
- Under the Biden administration, Davis helped secure federal grants and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency support, but all efforts were halted after President Trump eliminated environmental justice programs and rescinded pending grants.
- Now running for mayor, Davis hopes to use her platform to restore local accountability, fight utility mismanagement, and oppose a takeover of the city’s water system by a neighboring utility.
Key quote:
"I believe that if we cannot get relief from the administration then we need to go to Congress, and we need to go to federal court in order to get the relief that is necessary. The mayor has to be willing to pull all of those levers."
— Carletta Davis, mayoral candidate for Prichard, Alabama
Why this matters:
Aging, failing water systems are threatening public health across the U.S., especially in poor and predominantly Black communities like Prichard. Residents face contaminated tap water, sky-high utility bills, and chronic sewage overflows — conditions that fuel disease risk and economic instability. As federal programs aimed at addressing environmental injustices disappear, communities that once relied on them are left scrambling. With the rollback of national protections, local governments are being pushed to the front lines of battles once supported by federal agencies.
Read more: Alabama finally updates toxic water standards after years of delays
