After reading this article, you will never look at tap water the same way again. Most Americans have generally assumed that the water coming out of our taps is perfectly safe, but the Flint water crisis and other similar incidents are starting to help people to understand that there are some very dangerous substances in our water. In particular, I am talking about things like arsenic, lead, atrazine, perchlorate and a whole host of pharmaceutical drugs. According to an absolutely stunning NRDC report, close to 77 million Americans received their water from systems “that violated federal protections” in 2015. And even if you get your water from a system that meets federal standards, that still does not mean that it is safe.
Let’s start by talking about arsenic. Earlier today I came across an article that talked about how levels of arsenic in the water at some schools in the San Joaquin Valley “exceed the maximum federal safety levels by as much as three times”…
Reef-Sunset Unified School District Superintendent David East is worried about water. Not because of the drought—record rains this past winter ended five years of dry times. Rather, East, whose district encompasses the small towns of Avenal and Kettleman City on the San Joaquin Valley’s west side, is worried about the safety of the water that the 2,700 students in his school district are being given to drink.
That’s because arsenic levels in the drinking water at some schools in the San Joaquin Valley exceed the maximum federal safety levels by as much as three times. And arsenic is not the only threat to schoolchildren. High levels of pesticides, nitrate, bacteria, and naturally occurring uranium also contaminate groundwater in many rural parts of the state.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer says that arsenic is a “group 1 carcinogen”, and if you get too much of it in your system it can kill you. Sadly, the EPA has estimated that 36 million Americans are drinking tap water that contains dangerous levels of arsenic.
In addition to arsenic, a very nasty pesticide known as “atrazine” is often found in tap water supplies. The following information about atrazine comes from the NRDC…
This endocrine-disrupting chemical is one of the most commonly detected pesticides in U.S. waters. NRDC studies have found its contamination is most common in drinking water across the Midwest and the southern United States.
Perchlorate is another very dangerous substance that is commonly found in our drinking water. According to the NRDC, perchlorate has been discovered in water supplies “in at least 26 states”…
This widespread toxic chemical, used in rocket fuel, explosives, and road flares, can interfere with thyroid hormone production. Perchlorate has been detected in the water in at least 26 states, yet there is no federal standard for its presence in drinking water.
Of course lead in the water has been getting a tremendous amount of attention because of what happened in Flint, Michigan. The lawsuits that will come out of this case could take decades to resolve…
Flint’s water problems began in April 2014, when the city, in an attempt to save money, switched the town’s water source from Lake Huron to the Flint River. In the switch, officials failed to add a $200-per-day anti-corrosion agent that would coat the city’s antiquated pipes. The omission would prove disastrous as lead from the pipes began to leach into the water that flowed out of the tap, endangering thousands of children. Officials asserted it was “safe to drink,” above the outcry of residents who suspected the brown, odorous water was contaminated.
The first outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease — a serious type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria — hit by summer. According to the water crisis interim investigation report released last week, Lyon and others knew about outbreaks for nearly a year before the public was notified and an emergency was declared. In all, a dozen people died from Legionnaires’ disease, though residents suspect there may be other victims who were never tested for the bacteria.
But Flint is far from alone. In fact, this week there have been headlines about serious problems with lead in the water in Chicago.
End of quote.
I have been watching these stories crop up for some years.
Then we have fracking…
Do you think this destruction of potable water across the US and more and more globally is accidental?
I don’t.
This video touches on Nestle’s efforts to control the world’s potable water and this article entitled Privatization of Water as an Owned Commodity Rather Than a Universal Human Right gets into the nitty gritty of things.
Also, this article entitled Nestle Continues Stealing World’s Water During Drought gets a little emotive about Nestle’s practices.
However, the real dark heart is exposed in this YouTube video from Nestle chairman Peter Brabeck from 5 years ago entitled Water Can’t Be Free, putting the cards firmly on the table.
So, for me, the plan is clear. Eliminate as many sources of potable water as possible and then charge people for it.
Richard
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