Three Questions to Understand the Links Between Water Pollution, Public Health, and Public Policy
In this video, Daniel Herrera, a faculty researcher at the Center for Economics and Public Decision-Making (CEDP) at Mines Paris – PSL, presents the “Urban Environmental Cocktail and Public Action” project, which addresses an issue that directly affects millions of residents in the Île-de-France region: gaining a better understanding of the effects of environmental contaminants—particularly those found in tap water—on health and inequality.
PFAS, heavy metals, nitrates, pesticide residues… Every day, we turn on our faucet without necessarily thinking about the various contaminants we may be exposed to. However, while data exist on water quality and on health, the link between the two remains insufficiently documented. This project specifically aims to bring these areas of knowledge together to better understand the relationships between the environment, exposure to pollutants, and health.
This is a challenge that cannot be addressed from a single perspective. What is found in the water? How do these substances affect the body? What effects might they have on the healthcare system or on social and regional inequalities? The project brings together ten researchers from ten disciplines, focusing on four main areas: environmental characterization, biological mechanisms, health economics, and social and regional dimensions.
The goal is also to bridge the gap between research and public policy. Through a research-action approach, research questions are developed in collaboration with relevant stakeholders so that the knowledge generated can inform the necessary changes and contribute to better protection of citizens.
This project, presented at the 2026 Mines Paris Research Day, demonstrates how transdisciplinarity can help us better understand the effects of our environment on our health and inform public policy.
To learn more about the project: https://researchday.minesparis.psl.eu/urban-environmental-cocktail-and-public-action/
