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Drinking Water Quality in the US: And why its not a major environmental health issue. Emma Susick November 6, 2007. What is quality drinking water?. Water Quality Standards issued by EPA with limited amounts of: Microorganisms Radionuclides Inorganic contaminants Organic contaminants
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Drinking Water Quality in the US:And why its not a major environmental health issue Emma Susick November 6, 2007
What is quality drinking water? • Water Quality Standards issued by EPA with limited amounts of: • Microorganisms • Radionuclides • Inorganic contaminants • Organic contaminants • Volatile organic compounds • Disinfectants • Disinfection byproducts http://www.epa.gov/safewater/hfacts.html
Water Quality in the World • 83% of the world’s population have access to improved drinking water http://www.unicef.org/wes/files/JMP_2005.pdf
Drinking Water in the US • Public Perception: • Do you worry about the water you drink? • Is this a topic in the foreground of public health? • 161,000 public water systems serving 268 million • Outbreaks and cases rarely lead to serious complications or death • EPA states the US has some of the best drinking water in the world. http://www.epa.gov/safewater/wot/pdfs/book_waterontap_full.pdf
Drinking Water in the US http://www.epa.gov/nheerl/articles/2006/waterborne_disease/introduction.pdf
Drinking Water in the US http://www.epa.gov/nheerl/articles/2006/waterborne_disease/waterborne_outbreaks.pdf
Drinking Water in the US http://www.epa.gov/nheerl/articles/2006/waterborne_disease/waterborne_outbreaks.pdf
Drinking Water in North Carolina • 2,606 water systems serving 6,615,436 people • generally of high quality and free from significant contamination • Approximately half of our drinking water comes from clean ground water • Public water supplies are tested, and regulated • Small private water are not regulated • Orange County: 4 contaminants found above health based limits, and no violations. http://www.ewg.org/tapwater/statereports/statereport.php?state=NC
What keeps our drinking water safe? • Agencies: • Environmental Protection Agency • Office of water • Public Water System Supervision • Center for Disease Control • NC Division of Water Quality • American Water Works Association • Association of State Drinking Water Administrators
What keeps our drinking water safe? • Legislation: • Clean Water Act 1972 • Safe Drinking Water Act 1974 • National Primary and Secondary Drinking Water Regulations
What keeps our drinking water safe? http://www.epa.gov/safewater/wot/pdfs/book_waterontap_full.pdf
Bigger Issues • Water quantity • Contamination and Pollution • Sanitation • International development and Infrastructure • Education • Cancer • Non-Communicable and Chronic Diseases
Bigger Issues http://www.who.int/whosis/whostat2007_10highlights.pdf
Sources: • http://www.epa.gov • http://www.who.int • http://www.ewg.org/tapwater/ • http://www.cdc.gov • http://www.unicef.org