Archives

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/AmericanFlag.jpg An estimated 19.5 million Americans fall ill each year from drinking water contaminated with parasites, bacteria or viruses, according to a study published last year in the scientific journal Reviews (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/us/13water.html?bl&ex=1252987200&en=294d3085ac11979c&ei=5087%0A)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/dirty_water.jpgCharles Duhigg - NYTIMES (http://www.nytimes.com) - Sept 12, 2009

Maybe bottled water is justified from some areas --Ed.

Jennifer Hall-Massey knows not to drink the tap water in her home near Charleston, W.Va.

In fact, her entire family tries to avoid any contact with the water. Her youngest son has scabs on his arms, legs and chest where the bathwater — polluted with lead, nickel and other heavy metals — caused painful rashes. Many of his brother’s teeth were capped to replace enamel that was eaten away.

Neighbors apply special lotions after showering because their skin burns. Tests show that their tap water contains arsenic, barium, lead, manganese and other chemicals at concentrations federal regulators say could contribute to cancer and damage the kidneys and nervous system....http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/us/13water.html?bl&ex=1252987200&en=294d3085ac11979c&ei=5087%0A

There are some areas of downstate NY that have terrible water. Even where I am the tap water isn't the greatest-tasting. Fortunately a Brita pitcher takes care of the taste.

That's just nasty. I'd find who did that, and make them pay to clean up the water.

Jesus, 7 page article, we need some chuck-notes please.

Jesus, 7 page article, we need some chuck-notes please.

ADD is not my problem....keep it up and I'll send you to my cats. :p


http://www.youtube.com/v/oHDeNjwntKM&hl=en&fs=1&

In south Florida you have to have a water filter in the house. The water is basically swamp water out of the Everglades.

Almost all bottled water IS tap water. One hopes that it is bottled in an area where the tap water regulations are enforced, but there is no guarantee of that.

Jesus, 7 page article, we need some chuck-notes please.

Rich's notes summarizing article:

Clean Water laws are not systematically enforced. West Virginia's coal mining wastewater disposal practices are particularly bad. People have been getting ill and dying from using contaminated well water in W.Va's coal mining district. Prominent W.Va. politicians conspired to dismiss effective state regulatory personnel. Recent USEPA memos indicate that USEPA oversight of state clean water programs was particularly lacking during the G.W. Bush administration.

End Summary.


This matches my professional experience. Different states choose to enforce different laws. If you are near a state boundary you dispose of your waste in the state that has the laxest interpretation/enforcement of the federal standards for your particular waste. If I didn't have client confidentiality concerns I could tell you stories. We don't knowingly let clients dispose of/store waste in a hazardous manner--we get called in when they get caught. I am aware of many instances where state officials have been aware of federal standards violations but have not sought enforcement.

That's the spirit - Rich! :)

There are plenty of points in the article.
Blind eye by the EPA during the previous 8yrs
Coal slurry in water supplies
The most nauseating thing I read: liquefied animal manure sprayed on farms seeps into wells. :eek:
Then other chemicals also seeping into wellsSeems like it's mostly rural areas impacted.

I would wager that the areas of the country with the worst water quality are also areas where the GOP has been unopposed for decades.

From what data do you draw that conclusion, Indigo?

From what data do you draw that conclusion, Indigo?

It is an extrapolation. My sister lives in Tennessee and the water is so contaminated that most folk (who can afford it) have to buy these HUGE filtration devices that are the size of water heaters in order to make the water drinkable. Tennessee is a Red State as well. Historically, the GOP has taken a pro-pollution, anti-environment stance on most pieces of legislation that get proposed. Therefore one can logically extrapolate that bad water quality is more likely to exist in Red States.

That's not a scientific statement, merely reasonable conjecture.