Drinking Water Week --A Good Time to Learn About Water

International Drinking Water Week is in full swing May 2 - 8, and the Chester Water Authority (CWA) is taking this opportunity to emphasize the importance of clean, safe drinking water.

CWA’s top priority is public health, stressing the importance of clean, safe water for healthy communities and an energetic economy, while promoting a safe environment. Authority officials note that while the region faces growing demands for available water resources from many areas including agriculture, industry, recreation, and home use, the water utility is working hard to address those needs.

CWA’s 1999 Drinking Water Week campaign is designed to highlight the importance of drinking water protection, raise public awareness and understanding of drinking water issues, and motivate individuals, communities, and companies to make water-responsible choices.

During Drinking Water Week, Chester Water Authority wants to let people know where their water comes from: that it is much more just turning on the tap. The authority notes that when customers have a better understanding of water treatment and protection, they can have a high level of confidence in the water supplied to them each and every minute of every day.

To help the public understand more about water, Chester Water Authority want to debunk the following water myths:

MYTH - We shouldn’t have to think about drinking water.

REALITY - We can no longer take our drinking water for granted. Public participation is vital to protecting our water resources, building adequate treatment plants, improving water delivery, analyzing cost versus risks, and enacting appropriate legislation.

MYTH - There are more pollutants in drinking water today than there were 25 years ago.

REALITY - Not necessarily. We did not have the technology to know what was in our drinking water 25 years ago. Today we have sophisticated testing instruments that enable us to know more about our water than ever before. With this knowledge, the drinking water community is taking steps to treat what’s in our water, to curb the flow of pollution, and keep our water safe and wholesome.

MYTH - Bottled water is safer than tap water.

REALITY - Not necessarily. The safety of bottled water and tap water initially depends on the source of the water. Monitoring and source protection, treatment, and testing ultimately determine the quality of the finished product. The 1996 Reauthorization of the Safe Drinking Water Act will require that bottled water be monitored and tested in the same rigorous manner that tap water has been subject to for years.

MYTH - "New" water is better than treated water.

REALITY - There is very little water on Earth that is "new." Most of our water has been touched by human or animal activity. Even in "pristine" wilderness areas studies have found bacteria contaminating water. So, it’s always better to drink water that you know has been treated.

MYTH - Once you use water, it’s gone.

REALITY - After water is used, it’s recycled, innumerable times. Some water is recycled for use within a week; other water may not be used again for years.