Compared to a lot of other countries, tap water in the US is certainly safe for the most part. However, that’s not necessarily always true, as it depends mostly on where you are or which areas you are traveling through.
Major Cities with Unhealthy Tap Water Quality
Unfortunate as it is, even some major cities have faced or are still facing a significant crisis in meeting the demand for clean, healthy drinking water.
The list as follows next should provide us with a rough idea of which cities may not have the best public water filtration systems in place so far.
- High lead content: Milwaukee, Flint, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Newark, Washington DC
- Particulates: Baltimore
- Trihalomethane: Dos Palos
- HAAs: Detroit,
- Copper: Newark
- MCHM: Charleston
- Radium: Brady
- Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS): Newburgh
It should be noted that public water supplies, in general, can easily become infected with parasitic lifeforms at any time if the chlorine percentage goes down enough or the filtration system malfunctions. Cryptosporidiosis, amebiasis, hepatitis, filariasis, viral gastroenteritis, and shigellosis are some of the common health hazards possible under such circumstances.
At times, even chlorine is not enough to kill all germs, which further highlights the need to adopt personal water filtration devices more frequently in our homes and while on the road.
CDC Presents Worrying Scenarios and Stats
According to stats presented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)itself, there is due cause for taking precautions with our drinking water. Some of the highlighted points mentioned in the report can be summarized as below.
- 4 to 32 million people suffer from acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI)every year in the US
- This massive number only accounts for people who were afflicted via public water supplies
- CDC fears that taking infected/impure private water supplies into account would increase the number by millions
Swimming in stagnant Water is OftenDangerous
Swimming in lakes and ponds is a common practice and also one of the main reasons responsible for waterborne infections from parasites in particular.
Any lake, pond or stream with stagnant water can already be, or eventually become rife with parasites (protozoa, worms, bacteria) or even heavy metals. If you must swim in unchlorinated water, be vigilant about not swallowing any of it and avoid diving in too deep below the surface.
The Role of Personal Filtration Devices is Crucial
Whether you are out in the middle of the woods on a camping trip, or just relying on water from the local water supply at home, using reliable, private filtration systems is highly recommended. You will find everything you need from sites like Discount Filter Store. You can buy everything from complete home water filtration systems and portable filters to instant filtration bottles.
In spite of everything, it is still possible to eliminate most risks of being affected by waterborne illnesses, but intelligent precautions and preventive measures must be taken. Do not just rely on water purification processes of the local public supply system, even if you think it’s safe. It never hurts to have an extra layer of protection.
