Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
4
CHAPTER
DANGER!
SAFE WATER AT RISK
Understanding where your water comes from and what people are
trying to do to protect these water resources is something we all can do.
—Greg Delzer, national coordinator
of source water-quality assessments,
U.S. Geological survey
T
oday, having plenty of water does not ensure survival. In some
countries, survival becomes questionable not because of the lack of
water but because the water supply can carry deadly toxins.
Fortunately, America is one of the few places in the world where
100 percent of the population has access to safe drinking water—or
so we've all thought. The reality, however, is that even here thou-
sands of people get sick every year as a result of the water they drink.
It's generally hush-hush, but people are poisoned in a variety of
ways and degrees by the very water that comes from their wells and
water treatment facilities. The nonprofi t Natural Resources Defense
Council (NRDC) estimates that more than 7 million Americans get
sick from contaminated water every year. Those numbers may be
high or low, depending on who is keeping track and whether water-
related illnesses are reported. Many aren't, according to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
1
91
