Dr Mercola - Over 267 Toxins Found in Public Tap Water

Story at-a-glance

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) analyzed tests from nearly 50,000 U.S. water utilities in 50 states and tested for 500 different contaminants; 267 were detected
Nearly 19,000 public water systems detected lead at levels above 3.8 parts per billion, which would put a formula-fed baby at risk
The immediate solution to protect your drinking water is to install a water filter on your tap, but on a broader scale the solution is to stop the source of the pollution, such as industrialized agriculture
EWG’s Tap Water Database, which allows you to enter your ZIP code to reveal what’s really in your tap water, is featured

By Dr. Mercola

Many people drink water straight from their tap, assuming it to be safe. Unfortunately, just because it’s clear and tastes normal does not mean it’s pure. Far from it, research conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) revealed hundreds of contaminants coming out of the average U.S. faucet, many at levels above what may cause health risks but below the threshold of legal action.

While the Safe Drinking Water Act was put into place in 1974 to presumably keep Americans’ tap water safe, not one chemical has been added to the list of regulated chemicals in drinking water since 1996. Nneka Leiba, director of EWG’s Healthy Living Science Program, told USA Today:

“The list of regulated chemicals has not kept up with our use of chemicals as a country … "Legal doesn’t necessarily mean safe when it comes to drinking water … What we are concerned about is long-term exposure, eight glasses a day, over a lifetime.”