When Water Meets Lead: The Worst Case Scenario

When Water Meets Lead: The Worst Case Scenario

Where there is water, there is life. 究竟, 没有比这更真实的说法了, 每一株植物, 动物, and human being is dependent on this resource. Imagine the chaos that could incur if water is taken away from us, like it has for certain residents of Flint, MI.

The recent exposure of the Flint water crisis has a lot of homeowners, 尤其是父母, questioning the quality of their own 喝 water. 就像这个话题一样, it’s worth pointing out that the incident was a very unique and uncommon sequence of events. The best way to prove this is by breaking down exactly why contaminated water is dangerous and how 喝 water is being regulated.

Of the major contaminants that could potentially find their way into your 喝 water, lead is one that can’t be ignored. People ingest low levels of lead daily as this element is found in household products, 汽油, 土壤, 管道, 甚至空气本身. 然而, 儿童铅暴露 is more threatening since they are susceptible to the severe health effects it can cause. Frequent lead exposure can create intellectual disabilities, 发育不良, 肌肉无力, 和更多的.

The act that went into effect January 2014 to amend the Safe Water Drinking Act, 公法111-380, states that the weighted average for lead content of products that contact 喝 water can be no greater than .25%. As a member of the water industry, A.Y. McDonald plays its part by providing products that comply with this specific regulation.

Another regulation that keeps lead out of your 喝 water is 铅和铜法则. 成立于1991年, this rule requires that all public 喝 water systems regularly test a sample of high-risk homes for lead at the tap. At a certain percentage level, individual water utilities are legally responsible for notifying the area of the heightened lead amount. In extreme cases, the water supplier must also take certain steps in order to control corrosion.

当弗林特, MI residents wrap their minds around the thought of consuming contaminated water for up to a year and a half, the unique Flint water crisis is one that should be treated as a lesson. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was already researching a revised version of 铅和铜法则 to be published as soon as 2017. The potential additional requirements include increasing outreach to customers and a strategic plan for full lead line replacements that can hopefully eliminate a similar crisis in the future.

The many rules and regulations imposed on the water industry are in existence so that you can live without the worry of contaminated 喝 water. While the Flint water crisis is very clear in everyone’s minds at the moment, water providing services have and always will focus on meeting and exceeding the laws set in place.

无论是用来洗澡, 喝, 烹饪, 或者冲厕所, water is a staple to our everyday survival. 而一个.Y. McDonald is only one piece of the puzzle holding the water industry together, every other piece must realize their own importance in connecting water to people. We must all stick together and recognize that where there is water, there is life.