Early-Life Exposure to Tap Water and the Development of Cognitive Skills

Authors
Publication date 11-2022
Journal Journal of Human Resources
Volume | Issue number 57 | 6
Pages (from-to) 2113-2149
Organisations
  • Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) - Amsterdam School of Economics Research Institute (ASE-RI)
  • Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB)
Abstract This paper examines the impact of early-life exposure to tap water on children’s cognitive skills in later life. We exploit the variation in the timing of tap water connections across communities imposed by a major drinking water safety program in rural China. Using data extracted from the China Family Panel Studies, we find that one additional year of exposure to tap water in early life increases the cognitive test score at ages 10–15 by 0.132 standard deviations. The event study estimates confirm that the beneficial impacts of tap water exposure are concentrated in early life.
Document type Article
Language English
Published at https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.58.2.0917-9031R3
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