Behind homes in Alabama's Black Belt, raw sewage runs through plastic pipes into open trenches. 50,000 people in the region lack proper sanitation because dense clay soil renders conventional septic tanks useless. A federal settlement meant to unlock millions in funding for alternatives was axed by the Justice Department last year, labeled "illegal DEI."

The Biden administration's 2023 environmental justice investigation found Alabama officials had failed to address sanitation crises disproportionately affecting Lowndes County's Black residents. An interim agreement required the state to track unconnected households and seek funding. The administration also killed a $14 million E.P.A. grant for septic installation and workforce training across three counties.

Without federal aid, local nonprofits shoulder installation costs while funding expires in October. Lowndes County's poverty rate sits near 30 percent, and residents can't afford engineered systems for impermeable soil. Community leaders say the withdrawal leaves the crisis unresolved and the region dependent on fragile local resources.