Sanitation Health
The Black Belt Story
In Alabama’s Black Belt, thousands of families live without reliable sanitation. Clay-heavy soil makes septic systems fail, and poverty makes alternatives unaffordable. Many residents are left with only one option—straight piping raw sewage into yards and ditches. This practice endangers health, pollutes the environment, and exposes a deep divide in how basic services are delivered in America.
Read more about issues facing the Black Belt Opens an external link.
About the Sanitation Health Program
The Sanitation Health Program, is committed to reducing and preventing health hazards caused by failing sanitation across Black Belt Counties.
UAB is working hand-in-hand with Black Belt communities to improve sanitation health through:
- Raising awareness about sanitation and health risks
- Engaging communities to identify needs and provide resources
- Practical Solutions Implementing sustainable systems for long-term impact
Resources for the Black Belt Community
The health of you and your family is important. Unfortunately, failing septic systems and the use of straight pipe systems for sewage disposal are common throughout rural communities without access to public sewers. Due to poor sanitation, children and pregnant women are at a higher risk of contracting intestinal infections and parasites that may lead to vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue.
Water and Sanitation Resources