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Understanding Drinking Water Quality in the US: An Overview

Explore the factors that contribute to the quality of drinking water in the US and why it is not a major environmental health issue. Learn about water quality standards set by the EPA, public perception, waterborne diseases, and safety measures. Discover how agencies and legislation work to keep drinking water safe. Delve into bigger water-related issues and global perspectives.

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Understanding Drinking Water Quality in the US: An Overview

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  1. Drinking Water Quality in the US:And why its not a major environmental health issue Emma Susick November 6, 2007

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. Drinking Water in the US CDC

  6. Drinking Water in the US http://www.epa.gov/nheerl/articles/2006/waterborne_disease/introduction.pdf

  7. Drinking Water in the US http://www.epa.gov/nheerl/articles/2006/waterborne_disease/waterborne_outbreaks.pdf

  8. Drinking Water in the US http://www.epa.gov/nheerl/articles/2006/waterborne_disease/waterborne_outbreaks.pdf

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. What keeps our drinking water safe? • Legislation: • Clean Water Act 1972 • Safe Drinking Water Act 1974 • National Primary and Secondary Drinking Water Regulations

  12. What keeps our drinking water safe? http://www.epa.gov/safewater/wot/pdfs/book_waterontap_full.pdf

  13. Bigger Issues • Water quantity • Contamination and Pollution • Sanitation • International development and Infrastructure • Education • Cancer • Non-Communicable and Chronic Diseases

  14. Bigger Issues http://www.who.int/whosis/whostat2007_10highlights.pdf

  15. Sources: • http://www.epa.gov • http://www.who.int • http://www.ewg.org/tapwater/ • http://www.cdc.gov • http://www.unicef.org

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