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12.10.09

Millions in U.S. Drink Dirty Water, Records Show

This article shocked me on how often people expect clean water and are exposed to water that does not pass basic safety tests. Perfect time for a quick reminder on how pure recycled water the goes through the Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR) process: so pure that minerals needed to be added back in so it does not corrode pipes. The reverse osmosis step used kills all of the 'gender benders'/endocrine disruptors that people are rightly concerned about.

Full New York Time Article

quick excerpt:
"An analysis of E.P.A. data shows that Safe Drinking Water Act violations have occurred in parts of every state. In the prosperous town of Ramsey, N.J., for instance, drinking water tests since 2004 have detected illegal concentrations of arsenic, a carcinogen, and the dry cleaning solvent tetrachloroethylene, which has also been linked to cancer.

In New York state, 205 water systems have broken the law by delivering tap water that contained illegal amounts of bacteria since 2004.

However, almost none of those systems were ever punished. Ramsey was not fined for its water violations, for example, though a Ramsey official said that filtration systems have been installed since then. In New York, only three water systems were penalized for bacteria violations, according to federal data.

The problem, say current and former government officials, is that enforcing the Safe Drinking Water Act has not been a federal priority."