1 In 10 Americans Face Dangerous Water

After recent NY Times probe, WQA says home filtering systems provide best drinking water protection.

Following a comprehensive New York Times study revealing that 10 percent of Americans face dangerous drinking water, the Water Quality Association is urging consumers to consider installing final contaminant barriers in their homes.

The newspaper reported results of its research in the second part of a major series on “toxic waters.” Among its findings:

• Ten percent of Americans “have been exposed to drinking water that contains dangerous chemicals or fails to meet a federal health benchmark in other ways.”
  
  
• Wells are more likely than municipal water systems to contain contaminants.
  
  
• An estimated 19.5 million Americans “fall ill” every year to contaminated water.

The New York Times report follows in the wake of Associated Press studies last year showing that up to one in six Americans might be ingesting some level of pharmaceuticals in their drinking water.

Filtering systems in the home provide the highest technology available to treat drinking water, said Peter J. Censky, executive director of WQA, in an announcement. Less than 2 percent of all water consumed is ingested by humans, making these “point-of-use” systems the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly available. While utilities are required to meet safety standards set by the U.S. EPA, the New York Times reported more than half a million violations of the Clean Water Act since 2004.

Home filtering systems act as a final contaminant barrier and can further purify water for drinking, Censky emphasized.

More information about contaminants is available at WQA’s Water Information Library, which includes a search function.

Source: Water Quality Association