Water Quality Month: Clean Water For All
One of the most important ways to stay healthy is to drink water. Unfortunately, not everyone has the luxury of clean running water.
All across the world, there are people who lack access to safe, clean water. In the United States, water is usually clean, but there are sometimes problems with water quality. Since this month is Water Quality Month, I want to talk about these issues so that you’ll be more informed about water in your home and around the globe.
Is water healthy or dangerous?
Water is essential for our lives. We can’t survive without it. Drinking water keeps your body healthy in numerous ways. It makes digestion easier. It helps your skin replenish itself and have more elasticity. It lowers your risk of getting kidney stones. It even helps to enhance your brain function! There are so many reasons to drink more water. Water can be found in a lot of the foods you eat, but of course, drinking water directly is definitely a must.
Tap water is a convenient way to drink water, but is it safe? From the CDC: “Over 90 percent of Americans get their tap water from community water systems, which are subject to safe drinking water standards.” These standards are found in the Safe Drinking Water Act, which was passed in 1974 and amended multiple times since. Community water suppliers are required to follow SDWA guidelines and release a detailed Consumer Confidence Report every year to keep the public informed about water quality. Thanks to these regulations, US tap water is among the safest in the world.
Unfortunately, it’s possible for contaminants to sometimes find their way into the water. The CDC explains that things such as sewage releases, naturally occurring chemicals, heavy metals, and other contaminants can occasionally leak into the water supply. Pesticides in groundwater are an especially serious issue because about 50% of Americans get their drinking water from groundwater. As for heavy metals, the Flint Water Crisis that started in 2014 is the most prominent example of this in recent history. Corroded pipes caused lead to contaminate tap water in Flint, Michigan, which was particularly dangerous for children.
Water quality solutions
The purpose of Water Quality Month is to raise awareness of water contamination issues. Drinking water is supposed to make us healthier, not sicker. But for children, the elderly, and the immunocompromised, water contaminants can pose a genuine threat. Fortunately, there are multiple layers of protection in place to keep tap water safe, from federal regulations to local disinfection treatments to water filters that can be attached to your faucet. Even if you don’t have a faucet filter, your water is still protected in other ways, as illustrated in this water quality pyramid graphic. In America, unsafe water is the exception, not the norm.
Bottled water is another good option because of its safety and satisfying taste. Bottled water companies are required to meet the FDA’s standards for safety in order to maintain the cleanliness of the water. Whenever you buy bottled water, carefully read the label to find out more about the way the company treats its water. Look for reverse osmosis, distillation, and filtration. Private wells are yet another option for getting water with about 15% of Americans getting their water from them. But these wells are not regulated by the government, so well owners must be sure to get their wells thoroughly tested to ensure good water quality.
The worldwide water crisis
Water regulations, filters, and bottled water are all great things, but these kinds of things aren’t available everywhere in the world. According to charity: water and water.org, 785 million people in the world don’t have access to clean drinking water. Everyone deserves clean water, and the lack of it is a serious ongoing crisis with a major impact on world health.
Donating to water charities and spreading the word about the water crisis are two incredibly helpful things you can do. Access to clean water means fewer illnesses and fewer deaths, so it’s important to step up and take action about this issue. It’s possible that one day, water quality around the world will be safe enough for everyone to nourish their bodies without fear of contamination. Let’s make it happen!
