50,000 U.S. Public Water Systems Contaminated with Cancer Causing Chemicals

The Environmental Working Group released a searchable database that shows how nearly all of U.S. drinking water is contaminated with dozens of harmful chemicals.

Last 26th of July, the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit research environmental organization, released a nationwide tap water transparency report through its new National Tap Water Database.

Through EWG’s new database, anyone can search the full detail on the quality of U.S. drinking water in all 50 states and the District of Columbia by merely typing in their location’s zip code or local utility name.

Detected contaminants

For the last two years spent by EWG on collecting data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and stage agencies, approximately 267 contaminants were found in the water utilities tested in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Included in the list of detected contaminants in U.S. tap water are:

• Carcinogens. 93 of the contaminants found in over 40,000 water systems are linked to increased cancer risks. What’s more alarming is that the known and likely carcinogens found exceed the established federal or state health guidelines.
• Hormone disruptors. 45 of the noted 267 contaminants are linked to hormone disruption.
• Chromium-6. This carcinogen popularized by Erin Brockovich was detected in the drinking water supply of over 250 million Americans in all 50 states.
• 1,4-Dioxane. This unregulated compound found in the water supply of over 8.5 million people in 27 states are above safe levels, posing a minimal cancer risk.
• Nitrate. This chemical that is often found in animal and agricultural wastes was detected in more than 1,800 water systems serving 7 million people in 48 states.

Other than cancer, the contaminants detected in the U.S. public water systems have been linked to brain and nervous system damage, developmental harm in children, and fertility problems.

Over all, EWG found over 250 million American residents are supplied water with “unsafe” levels of a variety of harmful contaminants. What’s alarming is that most of these are declared legal.

An EWG recommendation

According to EWG’s President, Ken Cook, “Americans deserve the fullest possible picture of what’s in their taps.” However, the government and their utilities can’t provide such information. Only EWG can do so.

The federal drinking regulations are insufficient. Just because your water supply gets a passing grade or is said to contain legal levels of different contaminants, it doesn’t mean it’s really safe for your consumption.

To ensure water safety, Americans must do something and take matters into their own hands. Aside from getting information from the EWG Tap Water Database, another way to do so is through investing in home water filtration systems that can significantly reduce the contaminants in their water supply.

For more info, contact 1-772-919-8700 or 1-800-444-3563. You can also click here for a FREE water consultation!