The US Environmental Working Group (EWG) studied US water for household consumption available through water utilities over the last five years. The study used 20 million tap water quality tests. The findings are mind-boggling. According to Jane Houlihan, Senior Vice President for Research at EWG, “The nation’s tap water has been compromised by weak federal safeguards and pitiful protection of drinking water supplies.”

The EWG study ‘found 316 contaminants in water provided for public consumption. Of those contaminants, only 114 of them have enforceable standards from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The 202 other chemicals with no mandatory safety standards were present in water supplied to approximately 132 million people in almost 10,000 communities across the U.S. These chemicals include perchlorate (toxic rocket fuel component), metolachlor (a weed killer), acetone (an industrial solvent), radon (highly radioactive gas), and Freon (a refrigerant).’

According to the nationwide study that covers the period 2004-2009, ‘at least 131 million Americans have been receiving tap water polluted with unregulated contaminants.’

The water contaminants come highest from industrial pollutants, followed by agricultural pollutants. Other sources of water pollution as found by the study are sprawl and urban pollutants and water treatment pollutants.

EWG discloses that, according to industry market studies, ‘utilities spend over $4 billion a year on water treatment chemicals, yet less than one twentieth of that amount is invested in protecting the source water protection and on preventing water pollution (an average of $207 million a year).’

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Via blue living ideas