More than 20 percent of the nation’s water treatment systems have violated key provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act over the last five years, according to a New York Times analysis of federal data.
The Times says water provided to more than 49 million people in the last five years “has contained illegal concentrations of chemicals like arsenic or radioactive substances like uranium, as well as dangerous bacteria often found in sewage.”
Furthermore, says the Times,
Studies indicate that drinking water contaminants are linked to millions of instances of illness within the United States each year.
- Millions in U.S. Drink Dirty Water, Records Show
The New York Times says it has compiled and analyzed millions of records from water systems and regulators around the nation, as part of a series of articles about worsening pollution in American waters, and regulators’ response.
Frankly, I’m glad NYT has had the generosity to fund this kind of study. Eventually we have to learn that bad politics will kill us. An E.P.A spokeswoman is quoted in the NYT article as saying:
The previous eight years provide a perfect example of what happens when political leadership fails to act to protect our health and the environment.
This is E.P.A. itself telling us that the previous administration didn’t care enough about the common citizenry to enforce our safe water laws. The Obama administration is making it a top priority. We’re going to have to become political people purely to live healthy lives.
Or else be very local. Once again, the lesson is you can’t trust anyone regarding what you eat or drink except people you know.
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