Millions drink toxic water in the USA, but it's EPA-approved!

The water company where I work spends hundreds of thousands of dollars every year in EPA mandated testing. Here is a listing of the primary and secondary water standards, VOC's, SOC's, Micro-organisms, disinfectants, disinfectant by-products, and radionuclides that we test for, on a daily basis.

If you look at the bottom of the page, you can see which contaminants are going to be included as a part of future testing, (Candidate Lists), that we test for, as well as unregulated chemicals we test for. We conduct a battery of tests on chemicals that are not required for testing, just because we want to be sure there are no problems coming up, on a quarterly basis. Not only that, but we are looking for ways to prevent these chemicals from entering the source water. It is called Source Water Protection, and it includes Wellhead Protection.

The truth is, testing costs mega-bucks. Most water companies can not afford to test for everything on a daily basis, monthly basis, or even quarterly basis. Many of the chemicals that are discussed in this article are below detectable levels-- and, unless it is suspected to be a part of the water supply, you are honestly spending money that many utilities don't have to chase fairly remote possibilities.

Most chemicals have a required action level, and a MCL, (maximum contaminant level). The required action level is some point below the MCL where the problem must be dealt with, before it becomes a danger to human health. No, the EPA can not keep up with the 60,000+ chemicals that are invented every year. Determining the effects on humans can take years! They can only test those chemicals that they feel to be the worst, or the most likely to cause problems.

Most municipal drinking water supplies are safe to drink-- especially when compared to other water supplies, i.e. farm wells, etc. And it is very true that bottled water is usually just filtered municipal water. The bad thing about bottled water, is that it filters out the chlorine-- which has probably saved more lives than any other one thing, on this planet.

Home filtration units, which usually contain activated carbon, which is also a part of the water treatment process for most municipalities, can filter out VOC's, SOC's, chlorine, chloramine, and other chemicals, but will do nothing for many many other chemicals that may be in the water. Not only that, but home filtration units can, themselves, become a source of bacteria for the water you drink, unless it is maintained properly.

Our water company is currently spending millions of dollars in developing infiltration galleries that will add additional natural filtration of Giardia, etc. So, this is not being ignored in the industry at all. Most utilities not only have to figure out if there is a problem, how severe a problem is it, how to treat the water to deal with the problem, and pay for it. That is kind of hard in these times.

Let's think about one thing-- chlorides, and/or chloramines, have been added to drinking water now for almost 100 years. If over used, these substances can produce by-products, which, in large doses, are cancer-causing. (In large doses.) 100 years-- how many people have died from the use of chloramines and chlorides? Not many, that are proven. OK, how many lives have been saved? Millions. Who dies of cholera and typhoid any more? Not many in the US and zero to none on municipal water supplies.

So, while this is certainly something to be aware of, do not think that it is a problem that is being ignored. It isn't.

Everyone reading this article, please follow this link. http://mtmeyer1.newsvine.com/_news/2010/04/23/4197683-foto-friday-a-tour-of-the-water-company

Dowser knows of what she speaks. With her and thousands like her on the job, we will be fine.