Decades later, Tucson water contamination still causes PTSD symptoms

Decades-Old Water Contamination Still Haunts Tucson’s South Side Residents

Many residents of Tucson’s south side can recall a time when drinking from the garden hose and using tap water were part of daily life. However, unbeknownst to them, the water was tainted with industrial solvents that had seeped into the groundwater feeding their wells.

A recent study from the University of Arizona reveals that the impact of this contamination lingers, with about one-third of those exposed still experiencing post-traumatic stress symptoms decades later.

The survey, conducted by researchers, involved 363 individuals who either lived, worked, or attended school in the contaminated region before 1981 or had parents who did. It found that 34% of participants exhibited enough symptoms to meet a clinical screening threshold for post-traumatic stress. These symptoms, occurring in the past month, included actions like avoiding places reminiscent of the contamination, poor sleep, and feelings of isolation. Meeting four out of seven criteria was the threshold for post-traumatic stress.

Published in the Journal of Health Psychology, the research is a joint effort of the Department of Psychology and the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. The study was spearheaded by Harrison Schmitt during his dissertation work at the University of Arizona, and he is now an assistant professor of psychology at Skidmore College.

“It was pretty striking how long the impact of this seems to have been,” commented Daniel Sullivan, the senior author of the study and an associate professor in the Department of Psychology.

Sullivan’s research team has applied similar screening criteria to Los Angeles residents affected by wildfires in 2025, with comparable findings—about 35% reached or exceeded the stress threshold. Sullivan, who has also researched tornado survivors in Kansas, continues to explore the long-term effects of technological disasters.

The survey, which commenced in the summer of 2022, was collected by around 20 undergraduate volunteers going door-to-door in pairs. They provided surveys in both English and Spanish, with at least one bilingual student in each pair. Interestingly, many volunteers discovered that their own relatives and neighbors had lived through the contamination yet seldom discussed it.

For comparison, the researchers selected a neighborhood similar to the south side in terms of income, race, ethnicity, and housing. This ensured that any differences in results could be attributed to the contamination rather than other socioeconomic factors.

“You’re talking to people and it’s every other house. At a community level, the findings are validating. At an institutional level, it still feels like, ‘When is it going to be enough evidence to act?'” remarked Elizabeth Yee, a study co-author and Ph.D. student in psychology who played a pivotal role in reporting the findings to the residents.

The researchers characterize the phenomenon as collective trauma, a shared community experience passed through shared stories rather than individual experiences.

The survey was partly shaped by the residents’ input. Alisha Vasquez, a disability cultures folklorist at the Southwest Folklife Alliance and co-director of Tucson’s Mexican American Heritage and History Museum, facilitated connections between researchers and residents, helping structure the survey for political advocacy.

“They fought their entire lives, not just for restitution, but to be heard and believed,” Vasquez noted.

In collaboration with Vasquez and other community advocates, the research team has shared the results with Tucson Water, the Environmental Protection Agency, and local government. This led to a resolution urging the Pima County Health Department to address the ongoing impacts.

“Tucson was a historic leader in fighting for recognition of these issues,” Sullivan stated. “This is a community with a lot of resilience.”