Drinking water

From Free net encyclopedia

Image:Drinking water.jpg Drinking water is water that is intended to be drunk by humans. Water of sufficient quality to serve as drinking water is called potable water whether it is used as such or not. Although most fresh water sources are drinkable by humans, they can be a disease vector or cause long-term health problems if they do not meet certain water quality guidelines. Water that is not harmful for human beings is called safe water.

Most nations have water quality regulations for water sold as drinking water, although these are often not strictly enforced outside of the developed world. A broad classification of water safety worldwide could be found in Safe Water for International Travelers.

 Virtually all municipal water systems deliver a single quality of water, whether it is to be used for drinking, washing or landscape irrigation. Image:Stilles Mineralwasser.jpg

In the United States, public drinking water is governed by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Among other provisions, it protects the right of employees to report potential violations. 42 U.S.C. 300j-9(i). Within 30 days of any retaliation, a whistleblower can file a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

So far as bacterial contamination is concerned, the usual test is for a count of (more often than not harmless) coliform bacteria, it being assumed that these serve as an indication of contamination by sewage.

See also

• Water purification
• Water resources
• Tap water
• Bottled water
• Giardia lamblia
• Water fluoridation

External links

• US Environmental Protection Agency Drinking water page
• American Water Works Association for professionals in water production and distribution and other water fields.
• Safe Water for International Travelers gives a rating of water safety worldwide.
• Tap Water Vs Bottled Water - Interesting site providing facts about tap and bottled water.
• E the Environmental Magazine piece on bottled water (Oct 2003).
• [1] - Rights of environmental whistleblowers in US under Safe Drinking Water Act.
• The Drinking Water Inspectorate - The drinking water regulator in England and Wales.cs:Pitná voda

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