Archive for category Drinking Water
Drinking Water Quality Issues – 7 Things You Must Know About Drinking Water Quality
In light of all the drinking water quality issues that have surfaced in the recent years, here are some things that every U.S. citizen should be aware of.
1. Over 90% of all U.S. water systems contain traces of at least 10 synthetic chemicals and lead. And even though there are just TRACES of these contaminants found in water, it doesn’t mean that they are safe, especially over the long-run.
2. Our public treatment plant technology is old and out of date. We still use the same technology as we did back in the early 1900s! Basically all the visible particles and sediment is removed using sand-bed filtration, and then it’s disinfected with chlorine. Treatment plants are simply not equipped to deal with recent drinking water quality issues.
3. According to the Ralph Nader Research Group, U.S. drinking water contains more than 2,100 toxic chemicals that are cancerous. Unfortunately, most synthetic chemicals cannot be removed in our public treatment plants, which mean that we consume them on a pretty regular basis. And I’m positive that our liver and kidneys don’t like this!
4. Government maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) are determined based on what’s “safe” for a 175-pound adult. They also assume that the one contaminant they are referring to is the only one found in it as well. When more than one contaminant (especially chemicals) is in the water you drink, it’s potency and potential adverse health effects dramatically increase. Plus, what about our children? Their immune systems are still developing and they absorb up to 3 times as much water per pound of body weight than adults do, meaning they get bigger doses of contaminants. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: agriculture and water quality, drinking waterRelated posts
Drinking Water-Which is best?
Water, if it is to be considered drinking water, must be consumable by humans with causing illness or disease. Drinking water must be potable, that is, it must be clean, or drinkable. All life forms on earth require drinking water. Humans, in particular, require at least 64 fluid ounces, or 8 cups, of drinking water each day for optimal health.
Your drinking water, in the United States, may come from one of several sources.
A Public Drinking Water System
The term “public water system” usually refers to any water system that has 15 or more hook-ups, or serves 25 or more people. Water systems that serve less than this are considered private water systems. Public water systems may be run by cities or towns, by state or federal agencies, by other political subdivisions like water districts and co-ops, or by private, for-profit companies. Regardless of who owns and runs the public drinking water system, that system must comply with all requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
A Private Drinking Water System
The term “private water system” usually refers to any water system that serves between 1 and 14 service connections. A private drinking water system is not regulated by the government. However, owners of private wells and these non-regulated systems often have resources available to them.
What Is Done to Keep Our Water Clean?
Government laws are designed to keep our water clean. But do they work?
According to a national inventory by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), rivers and streams with water quality rated “good” fell from 65 percent in 1998 to 61 percent in 2000. Estuaries with water quality rated “good” fell from 56 percent to 49 percent over the same two-year period. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: agriculture and water quality, drinking waterRelated posts
Does Tap Water Give You the Best Drinking Water?
Do you drink tap water as your major source of drinking water? Many Americans do and thereby are saying it’s the best drinking water source for them. Is this a wise choice?
One of my clearest childhood memories is returning to the U.S. from the Congo, where I was raised. It seemed incredibly wonderful to be able to drink water directly from the tap. I was used to drinking only water that had been boiled and then filtered.
This blessing of quality tap water is both affirmed and cautioned by Rene Ebersole in her June/July article in National Wildlife, 2004, entitled, “Is Your Drinking water Safe?” She says,
“The quality of U.S. tap water rates better than what is found in most countries, but it doesn’t mean you should take it for granted. It’s clear, smells fresh, tastes good, but is it safe to drink?…Truth is American water supplies are some of the cleanest in the world. Still, it sure doesn’t hurt to be cautious.”
She goes on to recount the example of Washington, D.C. Less than a year previously, thousands of D.C. residents were informed that their tap water was tainted with dangerous levels of lead which could have serious effects on children if continued to be consumed. There was a scramble on the part of the city to get to the root causes, and a scramble on the part of the residents to buy drinking water filters. She goes on to say that there are three dozen other water systems in the U.S., most smaller communities, that have lead levels above the federal safety standard.
Erik Olson, Senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council, puts us on guard by saying,
“Most Americans take it for granted that their tap water is pure and their water infrastructure is safe. They shouldn’t.”
Is Tap Water the Best Drinking Water for You? Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: agriculture and water quality, drinking water