Is Drinking Water Really Safe to Drink

Going to the sink and running you a glass of clear, cold water do not take much effort. But have you considered where your drinking water comes from and if it is safe. Sure, we buy bottles of water each year but who makes sure that the water found within those plastic cocoons is actually safe for human consumption? It is a complex process that begins with your bottle or glass of water and continues on to the federal government. If you have not given your drinking water much thought it is time to do so because there are plenty of chances you are taking each time you take a drink of water. So for your informative pleasure this article will take you through some of the questions you may have about your drinking water. From source to tap this is your one-stop-drinking information.

Who is in charge of monitoring drinking water

The Environmental Protection Agency is the government group that helps maintains the level of your drinking water through the Safe Drinking Water Act. The Safe Drinking Water Act helps make sure that the quality of your water, not how it looks or tastes, is pure enough for human consumption and is free from any pollutants. It governs water treatment facilities and bottling plants.

How does the EPA monitor drinking water

The EPA has set up analytical tests for local sanitation offices to run in order to ensure that the drinking water is free from a certain level of contaminants such as arsenic, lead and other pollutants. On a random basis they will come in and require a water sample so that their team of scientists can check the water sample for themselves rather than rely on reports mailed in quarterly by the sanitation department.

Is well water safe

Well water can be just as safe as bottled water or tap water. It will have a different taste though because all of the impurities such as lime that are found naturally occurring in water. Some people actually prefer the taste of well water to that of tap or bottled because of that "hard" water taste. Unfortunately hard water is really rough on sinks, toilets, bathtubs, showers and hot water heaters with the lime scale buildup. The solution is to buy a water purification system and softening system to remove the impurities.
 
What is the Safe Drinking Water Act

In 1974 Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act as a way to monitor the drinking water standards of all US public drinking water facilities. It does not cover well water but it does cover bottled water facilities. It does cover ground well water sources where public water facilities tap into though and of course rivers, streams and lakes.

Can they receive fines for lying about their source water

Any company that deliberately misleads the public and their consumers through false advertising is subject to fines. The amount of fines and whether further actions are taken against the falsifying company are subject to the FCC and the EPA. If you have purchased a bottle of the water that has been proven to be falsely advertised as something else when in reality it was tap water, you can file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and contact the company for a refund.