How to know if your tap water is contaminated

New rules could affect your water supply. Before shooting or pouring a cup, see if yours is safe.


First of all, it's Flint, Michigan. Then it was Newark, New Jersey. The two cities have donesecurities In recent years, when their drinking water was considered intriguable, because of the head and neither of the city has fully recovered. Imagine awakening a day to realize that the half-gallon of water you drank each day was contaminated with a poison.

TheEnvironmental Protection AgencyMore than 14,000 employees do our best to protect us from contamination of water, but despite their efforts, water from the US tap is not always 100% safe. The problem of water can become even more pressing withThe administration of President Trump should supplement the legal repeal of major water regulation of the Obama era era.

It turns the tap in your city a frightening proposal. You could also be contaminated?

What anxiety should I be about my water?

Close up focus on female hand holding glass african woman drinking still water
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The United States has the chance to haveOne of the safest public drinking water supplies in the world. "I want to make sure that the American public has 92% of the water each day meets all the requirements of the EPA for safe drinking water," said Andrew Wheeler in hisfirst interview as an administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. It's all good, right? Uh, not exactly ...

"Let's do the maths on that. Nationwide, 327 million Americans each drink two to eight water glasses on average every day. If 8% of this supply does not comply with EPA standards, it is up to 209 million of unsecured water glasses per day, or 2.3 billion gallons of gallons sufficient water to fill a quarter of a million baths, "" Joan Rose, Laboratory Director / Senior Investigator in Research on the water at Michigan State University,article forThe conversation. "In short, high numbers of compliance does not mean that everything is fine."

So Should you be worried about your water? It depends if you are a person who thinks the glass is 92% in good health or 8% unhealthy.

What is the unfortunate water of US tap water?

Water Plant In Flint
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An analysis of 2018 byNatural Resources Advice (NRDC) found that between January 2015 and March 2018, nearly 30 million people in the United States drank water from Community water systems that violated theEPA lead and copper rule. It is not all - about 5.5 million Americans have got water from systems that have exceeded the level of lead in the EPA, which is not a level of security. NRDC is the non-profit environmental rights group that tabled a lawsuit against Newark last year.

"The United States does not invest in its drinking water infrastructure for generations", Erik Olson, Senior Director of Health Programs at the NRDCAtlantic. "Many of our pipes are 50 years old or older, and many are in the lead. And water mills still use World Warfare for treatment."

Anterior NRDCreport highlights the uneven distribution of lead-related violations between states and communities. For example in Puerto Rico before Hurricane Maria, 97.2% of the island population were served by systems with violations of the lead and copper rule, the largest percentage of a population of any state or territory of the nation.

The head is not the only problem of environmental work and the University of the Northeastreports These 712 sites in 49 states are known to be contaminated by the highly toxic fluorinated compounds called PFA.The New York Times reported In May 2019, the original faucets of the Central California Valley Agricultural Workers cease toxic water conditioned by arsenic and fertilizer chemicals. AndThe researchers confirmed This statement by the Californian governor of Gavin Newsom according to which "more than a million Californians" has not "clean water to swim or drink", is correct.

For the list of higher water systems with violations, click on the last slide of this article.

What does the government verify?

Male And Female Scientists Using Microscopes In Laboratory
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Do you forget that Andrew Wheeler-the new EPA administrator? It is aware of the problems but does not want you to panic. "We have the safest drinking water in the world. We are working to update a number of regulations, one of which is our lead and copper rule, which takes a look at the pipes. The pipes as we have in the country. As part of that, we examine what we can do to demand regular tests for schools and daycares, so that it would be part of this regulation when it comes out later this Year: "Wheeler"Recount CBS.

The violation of the EPA occurs when a public water system has not acceded to the legislation in theDrinking Water Act (SDWA).

The SDWA currently regulates about 100 contaminants, including a high level of the presence of a microorganism, such as legionella or coliforms. A public water system can also be issued a violation of the EPA if disinfectants, such as chlorine, are in the water served to the public. An excess of inorganic chemicals, such as arsenic and fluoride, can also lead to a violation of the EPA. Recently due to mass poisoning in the flint and the public opinion of Newark focuses on lead contamination.

So what went wrong in the flint? "Part of the problem with the flint has been a breakdown once they got the data, once the city of Flint, the state of Michigan, EPA Obama, they sat on it," declared Wheeler. "We do not do that. As soon as we get information that there is a problem, we enter the local community, we help the local community to clean the water system", explains Wheeler in the interview.

What are the dangers of contaminated water?

Bacterium in water under the microscope
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Drinking water containing a high and unhealthy contaminant level can cause disease. TheCDC Confirms that contaminated public water can cause different types of dangerous diseases, such as Legionella, Salmonella, e. Coli, or hepatitis A.

Due to silex and Newark crises, public opinion focuses on lead poisoning. The most common lead sources in drinking water are lead pipes, faucets and plumbing luminaires according toCDC. Some pipes that carry drinking water from the water source at home may contain lead. Household plumbing appliances, welding welding and pipe fittings made before 1986 may also contain lead.

What are the health effects of exhibitions to lead in drinking water?

Danger, Contains Lead warning sign
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EPA and health experts agree that no amount of lead are safe. Lead is a persistent toxic metal in the environment and can accumulate in the body over time.

According toEpa, even low levels of lead in child blood can cause:

Kids

  • Behavioral and learning problems
  • IQ lower and hyperactivity
  • Slow-down
  • Hearing problems
  • Anemia
  • In rare cases, the ingestion of lead can cause convulsions, a coma and even death.

Pregnant women

  • Reduced growth of the fetus
  • Premature birth

Adults

  • Cardiovascular effects, increased blood pressure and incidence of hypertension
  • Decrease in renal function
  • Reproduction problems (men and women)

What are the symptoms of lead exposure?

sick man stomach ache with pain
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Children absorb more lead than adults and face much more serious health consequences of same levels of exposure. Lead can also be transmitted from mothers to babies through breast milk.

According toNHS Signs and symptoms in young children may include:

  • Irritability and fatigue
  • Loss of appetite and weight loss
  • Abdominal pain
  • Vomiting
  • Constipation
  • Hearing loss
  • Difficulties of development and learning difficulties

Symptoms in adults may include:

  • Hypertension
  • Abdominal pain
  • Constipation
  • Articular and muscular pain
  • Pain, numbness or tingling ends
  • Headache
  • Miscarriage or premature birth in pregnant women
  • Tired
  • Memory loss

If you encounter one or more of these symptoms, it does not necessarily mean that you have lead poisoning, but you should probably contact your doctor. You want to know more about the dangers of the health of contaminated water and how to avoid them? To verify30 ways that tap water could ruin your health To learn more.

How can I check my water?

Man in overall protective suit collecting samples of water
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According toEpaYou should check the quality of your private well water each year. The test you get should provide you with the levels of:

  • Nitrates
  • Coliform bacteria
  • PH levels
  • Dissolved total solids

Your local health service should also be able to provide you with information on common potential contaminants in the groundwater in your area. If you live with elderly residents or children, you should test your well water more frequently because they are more likely to negative effects on the health of water contamination. In addition, you should perform a well water test if you have recently:

  • Experienced flood or terrestrial disturbance near your well
  • Replaced or repaired components of your well
  • Note a different smell, color or taste in your water
  • Learned about problems with tap water in your area

To get a finished test, you can bring a sample of your water to aState certified laboratory in your area. Your local health service can also offer free water tests in your area.

If you get your tap water from a public source, you must receive a water quality report, also known as consumer trust (CCR), annually of your water company. This report provides you with information about contaminant levels and warns you if one of these levels is high enough to justify a violation of the EPA. If you do not receive this report, ask a copy of your water business.

You only need to test your water yourself if you plan to install your own water treatment unit. You must also test your water yourself if you suspect that it is contaminated with lead. Your source of public water is already tested for lead, but if the lead is present in your household lines, it can enter your tap water. You can call theWater drinking hotline in water Security At 800-426-4791 to find a state-certified laboratory to help you test your water.

How can I protect myself from contaminated water?

Drinking water in the test tube for chemical and microbiological analysis
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It is important to review your CCR each year when you receive it from your public water company. Learn more about potential EPA violations or high levels of contaminants so you can get the appropriate water filters or other protections for you and your family members.

If you have a private well, be aware of potential contaminants of groundwater in your area. Contact a local expert, such as an environmental environment manager or local health service official, to learn more about what to look at in your area. A natural catastrophe, such as floods, can put your quality of private water at risk. TheCDC Warning not to drink tap water after your area has had floods or other type of disaster that can have affected the functionality of your well. Consult a professional for help before resuming normal use of water after a natural disaster.

How to point out contaminated water?

Dirty brown running water falling into a white sink from tap
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If the water in your home comes from a public source and you feel that there is a problem that needs to be reported, you can contact the water company directly. Get ready with your water test results or information on a change of smell, taste, color or smell of water when reporting. If you have a private well and a water test reveals contaminants, it is your responsibility to take action and follow the steps necessary to solve the problem of contamination.

The best water systems with population violations

water in a test tube for checking the content of chemicals
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Between January 2015 and April 2018, the NRDC analyzed the level of action level exceedances and offered a list of US water systems with levels of action (or Alates). during the study period.NRDC The top ten systems with overwhelming over the population were:

  • Condition: Oregon
    PWS Name: Portland Water Office
    Population served by system with Biel: 614 059
    Number of Ales: 2
  • Condition: Pennsylvania
    Name of PWS: authent water and sewer of Pittsburgh
    Population served by system with ALE: 520 000
    Number of Ales: 3
  • Condition: Rhode Island
    Name PWS: Providence-City of
    Population served by system with ALE: 311 270
    Number of Ales: 2
  • Condition: New Jersey
    Name of PWS: Water Commission of the Valley of the Valley of Passaic
    Population served by system with ALE: 310,121
    Number of Ales: 2
  • Condition: New Jersey
    PWS Name: Newark Water Department
    Population served by system with Biel: 290,139
    Number of Ales: 2
  • Condition: Oregon
    Name of PWS: TALATIN VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
    Population served by system with ALE: 222 000
    Number of Ales: 1
  • Condition: New Jersey
    Name PWS: Trenton Water Works
    Population served by system with Biel: 205,000
    Number of Ales: 2
  • Condition: Pennsylvania
    Name PWS: York Water Co
    Population served by system with Biel: 194,000
    Number of Ales: 1
  • Condition: Mississippi
    PWS Name: Jackson City
    Population served by the system with ALE: 192 547
    Number of Ales: 3
  • Condition: Wisconsin
    Name PWS: Green Bay Waterworks
    Population served by system with ALE: 104 057
    Number of Ales: 2

Categories: Health
Tags: water
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