The New York Times has recently published several articles detailing the safety of the nation’s drinking water. The focus of their investigation has been related to the Safe Drinking Water Act—and its effectiveness.
Their most recent article, published December 17, centers on the contaminants regulated by the Act. The Times says that, “Only 91 contaminants are regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act, yet more than 60,000 chemicals are used within the United States, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.”
Of those chemicals not currently regulated by the Act, hundreds are “associated with a risk of cancer and other diseases at small concentrations in drinking water,” according to the Times.
For something as critical as drinking water, these claims are concerning.
Jeremy Nelson, marketing manager for WaterFilters.NET, said, “When you think about all the water we use—for drinking and cooking—it’s surprising we haven’t heard about more sicknesses and diseases. The Times report puts the number at more than 60 million Americans since 2004 who have been exposed to water that didn’t meet government guidelines.”
Even while drinking water for most Americans continues to be safe, some residents are left wondering what they can do to further protect themselves. With the number of chemicals and other pollutants increasing and the response from public official seemingly slow, many consumers are looking to the private sector to give them the assurance they desire.
Nelson concluded: “Consumers need to know that there are a lot of private companies out there providing essential services, such as water filters, that will help them address their concerns about pollutants and other chemicals in tap water. For something as critical as tap water, it’s worth the time to investigate the various options available.”
Related posts:
- Are Millions of Americans Drinking Dirty Water?
- Nation Faces Huge Job in Replacing Aging Water and Sewer Systems
- Clean Drinking Water Is Not a Given
- What Kind of Water Filter Do I Need?
- More Evidence Home Filtered Water is Better than Bottled Water
