Water Pollution Facts and Information

[caption id="attachment_3274" align="alignleft" width="300"] Do know what may be in the water you're drinking and bathing in?[/caption] The EPA requires that your local water authority test your water for over 90 substances  including heavy metals, VOCs and bacteria. Most water authorities test their water once per quarter Your municipal water quality report tells you if your  water exceeded any federally mandated Maximum Contaminant Levels — MCLs.  But the problem with water pollution is there are thousands of toxins that are not reported on, or regulated by the EPA

Toilet Water Pollution

In 2010, 10% of all community water systems that provide drinking water violated one or more EPA standards. Most violations were due to elevated levels of coliform bacteria. High coliform levels usually mean that water has become contaminated with fecal matter.  When coliform levels are high, other bacteria, such as E. coli will be present as well. Violations are reported to the EPA annually, so you can be exposed to dangerous bacteria and other toxic substances at dangerous levels  for up to a year before your municipal treatment plant does anything about it! Water pollution from fecal matter is a widespread problem: A UC Berkley study states that the elderly may face a 12% higher risk of stomach infection from drinking tap water – even if it meets Federal standards.

EPA  water pollution standards may not be enough

Some toxins in water may still pose a threat to your health even if your water meets EPA standards. A recent Study by the Environmental Working Group showed that hexavalent chromium-6 was detected in the water of 35 major cities! Hexavalent-chromium-6 became a well-known threat years ago thanks to the work of consumer advocate Erin Brockovich. In a recent interview Brockovich expressed dismay at the situation and said things are getting worse, not better. Hexavalent chromium-6 is a known carinogen, but political pressure from Congress has prevented the EPA from acting thus far.

Water pollution and budget cuts

Municipal water facilities test their water quarterly, so violations which occur between tests will not be detected. Even with lax enforcement, in 2009, 28% of all U.S. systems had at least one EPA rule violation. Usually, the state or the EPA may finance the needed repairs, but Federal budget austerity has dried up available funds at both state and Federal levels. Many water authorities are waiting for funding, and in the meantime, the communities they serve continue to drink contaminated water. The EPA can take legal action or fine a water authority that won't fix problems. However, enforcement is rare, in the past 10 years, only 349 water suppliers have had to pay a fine for violating the Safe Drinking Water Act. Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences says that problems are inevitable” "Although we probably have one of the safest drinking-water systems in the world, every year there are some breaks in the system."

Half a Million People Infected by water pollution

From 2007 – 2008, 36 bacterial outbreaks in drinking water caused 4,128 cases of illness and three deaths.  The worst case of bacterial water pollution in history happened in 1993, in Wisconsin. Roughly 403,000 Milwaukee residents got sick — and 54 died — from bacterial contamination. The outbreak was caused when a treatment plant failed to properly disinfect water from Lake Michigan that had become contaminated by sewage spills. Waterborne microbes are blamed for an estimated 19.5 million illnesses annually in the U.S.

Home water pollution

Your own home may be poisoning your water too! Old houses with lead plumbing are known to leach lead into the water above the EPA cutoff of 15 parts per billion.  Lead is a very potent toxin, and it builds up in the body. Lead does serious damage to the brain and nervous system in fetuses and small children even in tiny amounts.

How to Take Action to Protect Yourself

Click to get a free copy of your municipal water quality report or call Life Ionizers today at 877-959-7977. Our water safety experts will review the report with you, and help you identify other problems that may be in your water that your municipal water report might miss.

This article should not be relied on to determine if toxins
are in your water. Call us today for a free evaluation of your local water quality report
to see if you may be risk for toxins in your water supply.