In Huntleyville, Kentucky, people don’t even think about drinking their tap water.
“You just don’t touch that tap water unless absolutely necessary,” said Huntleyville resident Aleigha Sloan.
“I mean, like showers and things – you have to do what you have to do. But other than that, no. I don’t know anybody that does. It’s absolutely dangerous.”
When Sloan and the other 12,000 residents of Martin County turn on their faucets, they often see brown or milky water. And it smells bad. The last thing they want to do is drink it.
Martin County Residents Suffering
Instead, families spend about $30 a week on bottled water. They only use their household water for cleaning and flushing toilets, and yet it still runs them about $65 a month.
That’s a major financial burden. Martin County is one of the poorest counties in the country.
Some folks bathe their babies in bottled water. They’re afraid of what the tap water might do to those infants.
And then there are times when the county shuts off the supply and nothing comes out of the faucets at all. That happens when the water becomes more contaminated than usual.
The Problem Is NOT Isolated
If this were an isolated problem, it might be different. People could say, “Well, that’s Martin County. Fortunately, I don’t live there.”
But as we know, many other parts of the country are having similar problems. Everyone knows about the Flint, Michigan water crisis. Many are aware of the Compton, California water dilemma.
The list goes on and on. And that list is growing. That’s because the real problem is America’s water system. It’s crashing. And it keeps getting worse.
All across the country, the infrastructure supporting the water system is crumbling. With no funds to upgrade it.
America’s Water Systems Received a
Near-Failing Grade in 2017
Today, we might be able to rattle off names of the cities where water problems are severe. But soon there will be too many to name.
This is a catastrophe in the making. And it’s coming to a city near you. If it hasn’t already gotten there.
Millions of miles of pipes are used across the country to deliver water. But a majority of those pipes were laid in the early to mid-20th century. They are nearing the end of their life span.
That’s according to the American Society of Civil Engineers. This organization gave the nation’s water systems a near-failing grade in 2017.
Water Line Breaks Are Rampant Across the U.S.
There are an estimated 240,000 water line breaks per year in the U.S. These breaks are a major problem.
When they occur, treated water is lost. Even worse, untreated water seeps in and is delivered to people’s homes.
“The treatment plant operators can’t control the quality of the water in the pipes if they cannot keep the pipes intact,” said Gail Brion. Brion is a University of Kentucky professor of civil engineering.
Not that treated water is all that great. Rio de Janeiro University conducted a study in 2017. They found that treated wastewater and untreated wastewater had about the same concentration of pharmaceuticals in it.
Not Enough Funds to Fix the Mess
So, what’s it going to take to fix this problem and make our tap water safe? The EPA estimates that $400 billion is needed to solve America’s water problem.
We all know that’s not going to happen. BarbiAnn Maynard of Huntleyville has a message for people living in communities where tap water is not terribly contaminated… yet.
“You take it for granted until you don’t have it,” she said. “I don’t think (people) understand how close they are to it happening to them.”
In fact, it’s already starting to happen. We see reports of contaminated water almost everywhere these days. Among the contaminants are heavy metals such as lead. Others include arsenic, chlorine, fluoride – even chromium 6.
It’s Up to You to Protect Your Family
Recently, The New York Times published a report by the Natural Resources Defense Council. They found that U.S. residents have a one in four chance of having tap water that is either unsafe to drink or has not been properly monitored for contaminants in accordance with federal requirements.
In 2015, nearly 77 million Americans lived in places where the water systems were in some violation of safety regulations, including the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act.
It’s becoming more and more clear that the government is not able to protect your family when it comes to the water supply.
You must take matters into your own hands if you want to ensure your family always has clean, pure water to drink.
That’s why I’m excited to tell you about a revolutionary new water pitcher I recently found out about.
It gives you all the convenience of a water pitcher that fits directly in your fridge. Yet it can filter out truly scary stuff that other pitcher brands fall short on removing.
