Although there are many ways our tap water can become contaminated, water in the USA is usually much safer than in many countries.
Read the complete article here in USA Today.
Comments by OSFR historian Jim Tatum.
jim.tatum@oursantaferiver.org
– A river is like a life: once taken,
it cannot be brought back © Jim Tatum
The World Health Organization notes that only about 73% of the world’s population have access to drinking water that is both nearby and free from contamination, leaving billions of people who aren’t afforded such a basic luxury. Even worse, at least 1.7 billion people have to drink from a water source that’s contaminated by human waste.
And while there are notable exceptions such as the Flint water crisis, those of us living in the United States have few reasons to worry about such the safety of our drinking water. “In relationship to the risk of illness associated with other countries around the world, our drinking water ranks fairly highly as we use advanced testing measures to ensure that drinking water is safe and free from both chemical and microbial contaminants,” says Rachel Noble, a distinguished professor of marine sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Within the U.S., tap water sources are heavily regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974. Because of this bill, the EPA is able to set standards and regulations for public drinking water – protecting people from disease-causing germs, contaminants and harmful chemicals. As a result, “the vast majority of American tap water is clean and safe for drinking and everyday use,” says Noble.
These treatment facilities filter out more than 90 known contaminants, including pathogens, pollutants, heavy metals such as arsenic, and inorganic and organic chemicals and their harmful byproducts, “so the water is microbially safe to drink,” says Susan Richardson, the executive editor of the peer-reviewed journal “Environmental Science & Technology” and a professor of chemistry at the University of South Carolina.
Good to know:Spring, purified, mineral or alkaline: What is the best water to drink for health?
Despite all these measures to keep public water sources safe, there are occasions where chemicals or other contaminants can still temporarily impact the safety of drinking water.
This occurs when unsafe levels of heavy metals, harmful germs or chemicals get in the water at its source (ground water or water from lakes, reservoirs or rivers) or while water is traveling through the distribution system after the water treatment plant has already removed germs and chemicals, per the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Among the ways contaminants can enter public water sources include “accidents that release industrial chemicals or fracking wastewaters that can also enter water supplies,” says Richardson.
Murray says that lead contamination can occur due to aging infrastructure or in older homes where lead pipes, service lines or plumbing fixtures still exist. “Microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses and parasites can also contaminate our drinking water sources, leading to waterborne diseases,” she says. Such contamination may occur through sewage spills, agricultural runoff, animal waste or other sources of pollution that get into public water supplies….
In addition to paying attention to the news and related notifications, it’s also possible to recognize contaminated water by its appearance (be wary of cloudy, foamy or off-colored water), by its smell (avoid water that has a sulfuric odor or smells like chlorine or swampland) and by its taste (steer clear of water that tastes salty, oily, fishy, gritty or metallic.)
Suspicions of contaminated water can be reported to your utilities company, your local health department or directly to the EPA. “You can also learn the cleanliness of your tap water by using at-home water testing kits,” says Murray.
“It might not be economically viable for all Americans, but if people can afford it, I often recommend countertop filtration systems,” says Noble.
She stresses again that “the number of outbreaks associated with tap water in the United States is relatively low per person, but by staying informed and by using commercially available filtration units, people can reduce their risk of tap-water exposure to chemicals and microbial contaminants.”
Very good article on tap water. I’m also curious about the water that comes from the thousands of wells across Florida.. In Bradford County and most other counties in the area, there are by far more wells than public water systems.
I have a “ionizer” and water softener. Is that enough to have clean, safe water? Thanks.
An organization called Aquifer Watch is able to test your well for free. We will make their information available soon. You can also take a sample of your well water to the Health Department for sampling.