Water is one of our most valuable resources. Studies have shown that a person can survive for several days without food, living on water alone. Our body's are mainly composed of water, which we utilize and therefore must replenish. However, before you drink that clear crystalline tap water, consider if it’s safe?Tap Water Is Regulated, Isn’t It?
In 1974, the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was authorized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to enforce rules and regulations on drinking water. The SDWA required water supply operators to be licensed, watersheds to be protected, and most especially water contaminants to be regulated. Among those contaminants were disinfectants, such as chloramines, chlorine and chlorine dioxide, used in drinking water to prevent microbial pathogens, which are disease-causing organisms, from existing in our drinking water. The levels of disinfectants were set trying to limit the risks of pathogens while still maintaining a safe drinking water. Maximum levels were set below quantities that may cause adverse health effects such as eye and nose irritation, stomach discomfort, and anemia.
In 1989, the Total Coliform Rule was enacted for the regulation of water contaminants. The rule required all public water systems to monitor coliforms in water. Coliforms are bacteria that thrive in water. The more coliforms there are in water, the greater the probability of disease-causing pathogens existing.
In 1991, the EPA created another regulation, the Lead and Copper Rule. Lead and copper make their way into drinking water primarily from plumbing materials, like pipes where the drinking water passes through in order to reach consumers. Exposure to lead and copper could lead to brain damage and stomach distress. The Lead and Copper Rule requires constant testing of the presence of lead and copper in drinking water. If lead exceeds 15 ppb (parts per billion) and copper exceeds 1.3 ppm (parts per million), then steps must be taken to control corrosion, and the public must be informed so they may take steps to ensure safety.
In 1998, after nearly 25 years, due to new emerging threats to safe drinking water, the SWDA was amended with a stage one rule that implemented stronger regulations on disinfectants and their byproducts were implemented. These unintended DPBs, such as trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids, are created when there’s a reaction from the disinfectant and naturally-occurring materials found in the water. Toxicology and epidemiology studies revealed carcinogens in some DPBs with others causing reproductive and developmental problems in lab animals. The rule was designed to help to balance the potential health risks between pathogens and DBPs as well to combat another pathogen, Cryptosporidium, that they had discovered was resistant to the original disinfectants.
In 2001, the EPA created yet another regulation for our drinking water, the Arsenic Rule. Arsenic in water has been a long standing problem in water systems since it is a semi-metal that is found almost everywhere. This comes from sources such as mining and coal burning, and may be found in products such as soaps, drugs, paints, and dyes. High amounts of arsenic in water can lead to cancer of the lungs, bladder, skin, prostate, and liver. Symptoms of exposure include vomiting, partial paralysis, blindness, nausea, as well as thickening of the skin. The Arsenic Rule limited allowable amounts of arsenic in drinking water to 10 ppb instead of the old level of 50 ppb.
In 2005, the second stage was implemented to build on the first stage of increased protection. The rule was aimed at reducing the risks of microbial pathogens in the water, including more resistant strains, while placing stricter regulations on disinfectants and their byproducts to reduce the risks of cancer, developmental and reproductive health.
Be Safe – Purify!
So, what options do you have if the safety of your tap water is questionable? Before turning to bottled water and making a decision involving a plethora of plastic waste, potential of BPA leaching and demand on transportation emissions, consider the fact that bottled drinking water has fewer regulations on contaminants than even your tap water. Consider instead the option of purifying that tap water. It will not only be more convenient, but also eliminate the chain of impacts associated with other choices.
