Water - we can’t live without it. Humans are at least 70% water, and we require 8 - 10 glasses of it per day. But how safe is it? Tap water is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (epa.gov). You can see an
EPA report entitled “Water on Tap” by clicking here.
Water Quality Reports are now included with water bills for municipal water (sewer) systems. The terms used can be hard to understand. Terms to pay attention to are the MCL, or maximum contaminant level (the highest level of contaminant allowed in drinking water), and the AL, or action level (the level of contaminant which requires water treatment). If you'd like more information about your report, you can go to
The Environmental Protection Agency's drinking water report information website.
If your property uses a well and you wish to test your tap water yourself, there are certified water testing labs. Go to
the EPA's water testing labs website.
A number of contaminants can be found in tap water. Some of them include: chlorine, fluoride, lead, copper, harmful bacteria, arsenic, chloroform, atrazine (pesticide), perchlorate, MTBE (a gasoline additive), nitrates (from fertilizer overuse), ammonia, and other by-products.
What has the government done to regulate our water supply? In 1972, the Clean Water Act was enacted, followed by the Safe Drinking Water Act in 1974 (go to
the EPA webpage with a list of governmental water laws.
In 1996, the Act was amended to include $9.6 billion in improvements to the country’s worst water treatment systems. However, in 2004, Congress cut the EpA’s fund for clean water projects by $259 million. Polluters are not being held accountable the way they once were. Inspections and investigations are spurred by self-reports from local water authorities, which may or may not be the most accurate report.
Although many water contaminants are naturally occurring, the most harmful ones are produced by man. Examples include lead and copper from water pipes, chlorination and its by-products, fluoridation, perchlorate from run-off and leaks, MTBE contamination from fuel spills, etc. Chemicals like lead, trihalomethane, and haloacetic acid are especially harmful to fetuses. Many treatment facilities cut chlorine with ammonia, resulting in chloramines, which are also harmful. For anyone who knows what happens when bleach and ammonia are combined, it’s important to weigh the risks of this method.
Instead of using chemicals to make water drinkable, why not improve the source? In many places, water pipes are old and should be replaced. Filters, ozone and UV light can be used to decontaminate. Reverse osmosis, in which water is pushed through semi-permeable membranes with microscopic pores can remove chemicals like sodium and chlorine. Many consumers have turned to home water purification systems. Available ones are included below.
More and more people have turned to bottled water for their drinking water. Sales for bottled water are estimated at between $50 and $100 billion per year, with a 7-10% increase every year. In 2004, US bottled water surpassed 6.8 billion gallons. The U.S. is the largest market for bottled water in the world, buying 60 million bottles/day. There are many classifications for bottled water, included distilled water, mineral water, purified water, and spring water. Bottled water is regulated under the FDA’s Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. However, bottlers are not strictly regulated in that documentation is minimal.
Recently, bottled water has come under criticism because of its environmental and health impacts. For one thing, bottled water generates millions of plastic bottles. With only about 23% of those plastic water bottles getting recycled, it costs cities about $70 million/year in cleanup costs in the U.S. alone. One can only imagine the landfill accumulation. Many feel that the claims made by water bottlers are exaggerated. About 25% of the bottled water sold is merely re-processed municipal water. Many developing countries cannot afford the cost of bottled water, or to recycle the bottles. This may divert attention away from the need to make tap water safer. With the price of food going up, isn't it time that we look another look at why we spend money on bottled water? If you are looking for convenience, why not purchase a glass or stainless steel bottle and fill it at home? It's the one small thing that we can do that will have a big impact on our environment.
Visit our News You Can Use page to read about the latest scandal involving Pepsi and Aquafina.
To learn what restaurants are doing in your area to phase out bottled water, visit
takebackthetap.org
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