While 2022 brought a lot of good news in many ways, America’s tap water supply continued to present issues throughout the country. According to the CDC, 7 million people suffer from waterborne illnesses each year in the United States, including roughly 7,000 deaths. These illnesses cost Americans roughly $3 billion in annual healthcare expenses. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that a water main breaks every two minutes in the United States. Many of these result in contaminated tap water that carry waterborne pathogens. Here are a few of the most significant water failures of 2022: 1. Jackson Jackson, Mississippi, has become the epicenter...

The Environment Protection Agency finally announced its latest rule regulating the “forever chemicals” known as PFAS. PFAS – or per-and-polyfluoroalkyl substances – is a group of around 4,700 chemicals found in consumer goods and household products–from pans and pots to pizza boxes and take-out containers. Since the early 20th century, manufacturing companies have harnessed PFAS to create products that can repel water, grease, and oil. Teflon is one of the best-known examples of the practical uses of PFAS. While PFAS can be useful, they’ve become a serious health risk, especially when it comes to our tap water supply. Here are 3 things...

Environmentalists have long supported biodegradable products and composting by claiming it is better for the planet. But a new investigation shows organic composting may be to blame for drinking water contamination in Massachusetts. According to a report from the Boston Globe, an organic composting company called Mass Natural has been leaching potentially dangerous chemicals into the drinking water near Westminster leading to PFAS levels as high as 300 times what the state considers to be safe. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFAS), commonly known as forever chemicals, have been tied to severe health issues, including increased rates of kidney and testicular cancers, high blood pressure, and...

Lack of access to clean water seems like a problem that only takes place in far away countries. But for millions of Americans, access to clean drinking water isn’t a given. And this problem has cost Americans billions each year.  More than two million Americans lack access to clean running water, according to a report from Dig Deep, a California-based nonprofit. That means they can’t shower, flush toilets, or fill a glass inside their homes. In turn, these families must leave their homes – occasionally driving many miles – to collect bottled water to keep their loved ones clean and hydrated. The...

The “forever chemicals” that have been turning up in drinking water throughout the country will soon be the target of new regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of chemicals common in non-stick coating, fire retardants, and other waterproof materials, may soon be regulated as a group rather than as individual chemicals in drinking water. This announcement comes just as a study published in the journal Hypertension revealed that PFAS causes high blood pressure in women — along with other potentially serious health consequences including thyroid diseases and testicular and kidney cancers. Currently, a few “forever...

The Environmental Protection Agency announced that it would not be taking steps to further regulate the chemical perchlorate in American drinking water. Perchlorate is a tap water contaminant that has been linked to brain damage in infants and developmental delays in young children. The chemical has been known to interfere with the thyroid gland’s ability to uptake iodide which can stunt the production of many hormones needed for proper brain development. Despite being known to cause a measurable decrease in I.Q. points in newborns, the EPA declined to regulate the chemical because it does not appear in drinking water “with a frequency...

A study from the University of Copenhagen revealed that there may be a lot more in your reusable water bottle than just tap water.  The researchers found that reusable water bottles can shed “several hundred different chemical substances” into the water. The study specifically analyzed water that had been left in squeezable, soft-sided water bottles commonly used by athletes for more than 24 hours. Jan H. Christensen, Professor of Environmental Analytical Chemistry at the University of Copenhagen's Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, said he was shocked to find that at least 400 different substances had leached into the water from the...

It has been known for generations that over-exposure to lead can lead to bad health consequences, but a new study has shown that it can also lead to bad behaviors, too.  A new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences revealed that consumption of lead-contaminated tap water by a child before age six resulted in a 21 percent higher likelihood that the teen will be reported for delinquent behavior after age 14. The chances that a teen would participate in serious crimes, such as misdemeanor assault or felony property or weapons offenses, increased by 38 percent.  The study focused...

American families put a lot of trust in the government to keep their drinking water pure. But in at least three states, the government has been directly responsible for polluting the tap water. Within the past few weeks, military bases in Iowa, Florida, and Hawaii have all had chemical spills that resulted in contaminated drinking water for military members and families living near the base.  In Sioux City, Iowa, an investigation revealed that an Iowa Air National Guard base was the source of the PFAS contamination. Sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals,” PFAS are chemicals commonly found in the production of non-stick...

Public utility officials are turning to some unlikely sources to address tap water problems: the gutter and the toilet.  While the idea of drinking sewer water is enough to make one's stomach churn, some experts believe reclaiming used water may be vital to keep a growing population hydrated. Here are five things you need to know about recycled water. What is recycled water? Recycled water -- sometimes referred to as reclaimed water, effluent water, or treated sewage water -- is used water from domestic sewage, industrial wastewater, and stormwater runoff that is collected, purified, and returned to consumers as tap water. Currently, the average...