In many of our previous blog posts, we have discussed the need to upgrade America’s water treatment facilities, which are decades behind where they should be. As it stands now, most water utility companies are terrible at removing many hazardous contaminants like microplastics, industrial chemicals, hormones, heavy metals, and more. These contaminants are increasing in concentration and are linked to cancer, heart disease, kidney failure, and many other health conditions. However, our health and well-being don’t appear to be a top priority for the new administration, so a significant upgrade to our drinking water systems is unlikely in the next four years.
Water contaminants are increasing at an alarming level. Drought is a big factor, and so is poorly managed animal waste from factory farms, military bases, chemical factories like Dupont, and poorly managed water treatment facilities. The last two decades, in particular, have seen a prioritization of water use over water pollution, meaning agriculture is allowed to use and pollute without much regulation.
In places like Eastern Oregon, which is surrounded by agriculture, nitrate levels are often six times more than what is considered a healthy level, leading to increases in kidney cancer, thyroid cancer, blue baby syndrome, and more. People are dying from these excessive nitrates, but even in Oregon, the state government has been unwilling to control the out-of-control water pollution.
We have to get the message out that our tap water is not safe to drink anymore. Everyone we know needs to have a multi-stage water filtration system in their homes, at the very least. And if they want to restore the antioxidants to their water, they need a water ionizer.
We have been saying this for almost two decades now. But now we are seeing people getting sick and dying from their drinking water at alarming rates. Our youngest and oldest are the most vulnerable, but if water pollution keeps increasing at the same pace and our water treatment facilities don’t get the upgrades they need, soon it won’t just be our oldest and youngest getting sick and dying. It will be all of us!
So tell everyone you know they must treat their water at home. You can also write to your local newspaper or politician and ask them to fight against water treatment budget cuts. We all pay very high taxes, and clean and safe drinking water is part of that deal. Fixing our water treatment infrastructure has to be a priority!
