While we celebrate the inexplicable level of industrialization and cheering progress in technological inventions that come with the 21st century, we tend to forget their aftermaths on our livelihood. The irony of industrialization is that it threatens the same life that it seeks to improve. Our environment is being polluted in numerous ways. One of the major things being affected is the water quality that we consume daily. Water is an indispensable part of us, yet, it is a pitiable victim of our actions and inactions.
Having access to clean water is not a privilege enjoyed by all nations of the world and you will be taken aback to learn that even the most developed countries are also faced with this threat. This is inclusive of the United States of America. I know you will be struggling within yourself to believe this hard fact but your opinion doesn’t change the truth. With the expansive rate of industrialization, the quality of water is being subjected to all kinds of threats daily.
However, this is not to send fear down your nerves. Different monitoring and regulatory agencies set up by the government are trying their best to ensure that US inhabitants have access to the best tap water at all times. Thus, it can be categorically stated that you are safe to drink tap water in the US. All thanks to the Safe Drinking Water Act. It is pertinent to add that the quality of water differs from state to state in the country and this is what would be briefly explored in the next few paragraphs. In fact, Pelican Water Systems puts it thus: “Every state in the U.S. faces water quality issues - from chemicals and contaminants to aging infrastructure and dwindling water supplies.” Each state has its own peculiar issues.
Before you learn of the best tap water in the US by states, there are some pieces of background information you need to be polished with. One of the issues that have posed as danger to the quality of water is the enforcement and adherence rate. The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) only has the power to enforce its authority over public water systems (a source that provides water to a minimum of 25 people or 15 connections) for a minimum of two months in a year. Because the enforcement of the EPA isn’t that potent with small water systems, those who operate these systems record a high level of violations for three consecutive years (from 2016 to 2019).
Some of the violations noted are: using more than the recommended amount of fecal coliform and nitrates and abundant use of lead. Texas, Puerto Rico and Kansas are the top victims of this non-compliance. Without mincing words, your safety is not guaranteed when you consistently drink from the small water systems. There is nothing good that comes on a platter of gold. For these small systems to enjoy clean and drinkable water, investments must be made on resources that have the capacity to deliver the best form of drinking water. This is inclusive of basic infrastructure.
Research reveals that there are over eighty contaminants in drinking water. The contaminant may have chronic or acute effects on our health. The acute effect can be felt any moment from when the water is drunk while the chronic effect is felt when water safety as stipulated by the EPA is violated over the years. Some of the chronic effects of drinking unsafe water are kidney or liver problems, cancer, reproductive challenges, among others. The good news is that the chronic effects are not pronounced in the US; the US inhabitants are hardly the victims of such health conditions.
Having understood the need to drink clean, safe and well-treated water at all times, we can now outline the best states with water quality in the US. Rhode Island is ranked first in terms of water quality and by extension, everything that has to do with environment. This is followed by South Dakota and Minnesota. New Hampshire is fourth while California places fifth. Connecticut, Vermont, Kansas, Missouri, and Wisconsin are placed sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth respectively. Although these top ten states are not in any way immune from the issues outlined above but they are blazing the trail of excellence in ensuring the availability of clean and quality water for all and sundry.
On the other hand, New Mexico, Michigan, Florida, Nevada, Nebraska, and Texas are the leading figures in terms of worst tap water. The water in the cities suffers from all forms of contamination. A city like Flint in Michigan is notorious for lead poisoning.
Apart from the US, authorities from all over the world need to keep working on ensuring the safety of water that their inhabitants consume. We cannot continue to endanger our health at the expense of industrialization. Inventions and technological breakthroughs are only meaningful when the beneficiaries are hale and hearty.
