| How healthy is our tap water? Well, that is not a | | | | make good sense to increase the testing on as |
| very simple question to answer, and the reason is | | | | many contaminants as possible. If over 300 |
| that the answer depends on the city in which one | | | | contaminants are known to be present in tap |
| resides. It definitely should not be this way, but it | | | | water supplies, then testing should be done to |
| is. Between 2004 and 2009 states such as New | | | | uncover all of them. |
| York, California, and Missouri test for more than | | | | Many people are very leery about drinking tap |
| 250 contaminants in tap water, while states such | | | | water. So, they resort to bottled water, thinking |
| as Kentucky, Connecticut, and South Dakota test | | | | that it is much healthier. The truth is that bottled |
| for only 90 contaminants, according to the | | | | water is not necessarily better. It actually does |
| Environmental Working Group (EWG) an | | | | more harm than good. The bottled water process |
| independent environmental research group. The | | | | has increased plastic in our solid waste stream, |
| group stated that over 300 contaminants have | | | | further polluting our planet. Another fact is that |
| been found in U.S. Tap Water. That is a very high | | | | most bottled water is nothing more than tap |
| number of contaminants, and something should be | | | | water tainted with the same contaminants poured |
| done about it before people start getting sick | | | | in a bottle. We must therefore drink bottled |
| from drinking such contaminated water. | | | | water with caution. So, now that our confidence |
| One can see here then that people in some cities | | | | with bottled water has been shattered, we must |
| are at a greater risk for drinking contaminated | | | | search the globe for places with the healthiest tap |
| water than people in others cities. Shouldn't our | | | | water supplies. The EWG has already done so for |
| water testing process be comprehensive across | | | | us. The Group has developed a list of cities known |
| the board requiring all cities to follow the same | | | | to have the healthiest and unhealthiest tap water |
| rules in regards to water testing? Absolutely! Well | | | | supplies. |
| then why isn't it the way it should be? This is one | | | | Cities with the Best Water |
| of the questions that we will try to answer. | | | | 1. Arlington, TX |
| According to the EWG, testing by water utilities | | | | 2. Providence, RI |
| has found 316 pollutants in the tap water | | | | 3. Fort Worth, TX |
| Americans drink, since 2004. The EWG has | | | | 4. Charleston, SC |
| analyzed over 20 million records obtained from | | | | 5. Boston, MA |
| state water officials in order to come up with | | | | 6. Honolulu, HI |
| such data. Contaminants such as disinfection | | | | 7. Austin, TX |
| byproducts, nitrate, and arsenic are some of the | | | | 8. Fairfax County, VA |
| common contaminants found in U.S. tap water. | | | | 9. St. Louis, MO |
| It is up to the Environmental Protection Agency | | | | 10. Minneapolis, MN |
| (EPA) to force states to test for 300 plus | | | | Cities with the Worst Water |
| contaminants in water supplies. The Environmental | | | | 1. Pensacola, FL |
| Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for our tap | | | | 2. Riverside, CA |
| water testing. Then why isn't the EPA doing more | | | | 3. Las Vegas, NV |
| to force all states to comply with testing water | | | | 4. Riverside County, CA |
| supplies for 300 contaminants or more? The EPA | | | | 5. Reno, NV |
| is probably limited as to how far it can go in | | | | 6. Houston, TX |
| forcing states to comply with particular water | | | | 7. Omaha, NE |
| testing standards or the EPA's standard for | | | | 8. North Las Vegas, NV |
| testing water supplies is lower than 90 | | | | 9. San Diego, CA |
| contaminants. Whatever the reason, it would | | | | 10. |