Safe Drinking Water Facts Reveal Contamination

by Donnalynn Polito

“A glass of safe drinking water, please” in response to the waiter, hardly!  Do you mutter to yourself on a hot, dry day, ‘ah, at last, a glass of safe drinking water to quench my thirst’.  I doubt it.


Or, as a visiting guest at someone’s home, when they offer you a glass of water, do you think, ‘hmmm, is this drinking water safe for me to drink?’

Knowing that our water systems are regulated, we gulp down what comes before us with hardly a thought about its performance in and to our bodies.  We believe our drinking water to be safe drinking water.

On closer look, recent research has revealed our safe drinking water is contaminated.  In fact, after millions of tests by water utilities, 315 pollutants have been identified to be in our tap water. 

Recent studies have shown that an estimated 64 million Americans are exposed to and drink contaminated tap water.  To find out more about what’s in your drinking water, sign up for our DYI Greenstyle Tips.

“Only 91 contaminants are regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act, yet more than 60,000 chemicals are used within the United States, according to Environmental Protection Agency estimates.”  That Tap Water is Legal but May Be Unhealthy by Charles Duhigg, New York Times, published December 16, 2009.

EcolivingGreenstyle has been following Charles Duhigg’s series on Toxic Waters.  You can watch his video on Tainted Tap Water here.

Federal regulations are outdated and do not keep up with the thousands of chemicals added each year to our world and ultimately to our water supply. 

Perhaps some hesitation now comes over you before you gulp down that glass of water whether it comes from the tap or from bottled water.


Purifying your water at home is a start.  Seeing that some of these pollutants don’t reach the water is another step that you can take.  Non toxic household cleaning products is an easy place to start.