Today in Focus How the Trump administration made a sewage crisis ‘woke’
25 snips
Aug 5, 2025 Nina Lakhani, a senior reporter for Guardian US focused on environmental justice, delves into the sewage crisis in Lowndes County, Alabama. She reveals how the Trump administration's policies eroded crucial environmental protections and civil rights victories. Lakhani discusses the severe sanitation issues that plague predominantly low-income black families, emphasizing the public health risks they face. The podcast also highlights community advocacy efforts and the impact of federal funding cuts on their struggle for basic sanitation.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Perrymans' Sanitation Struggle
- Wilma and Willie Perryman live in an old trailer in Lance County without ever having a working sanitation system.
- Raw sewage seeps from their home, contaminating their yard and even killing nearby trees, raising health concerns for their family.
Historic Roots Shape Present Reality
- Lowndes County's history is deeply tied to enslavement, brutal Jim Crow laws, and pivotal civil rights activism.
- This legacy shapes the county's current socioeconomic and racial dynamics, influencing present injustices.
Widespread Sewage Failures Persist
- 60-80% of rural Lowndes County homes lack adequate septic or sewage systems.
- Residents live with raw sewage in yards despite being in the world's richest country, highlighting systemic neglect.