drink tap water

[Dru]

here's why

[snoboy]

Or pay a lot more ... and still drink tapwater.

 

[EWolfe]

Or pay a lot more ... and still drink tapwater.

 

 

Yummy! Kent tap water!

[Ducknut]

tell it to the people in Washington DC

 

tap water contaminated by lead

[scratchandsniff]

Clicked the link: to many words. Anybody do a summation in @ 100 words or less?

[catbirdseat]

Too many words? Can't you speed read? Read the thing is 1 min. It basically says that between the local effects on the water sources and the manufacture of plastic bottles in which to contain it, bottled water is environmentally unfriendly, hence Dru's title "drink tap water".

[Stonehead]

Isn't it funny how solutions are often designed to tackle a problem without taking a systems approach to things? For instance, energy conservation. Back in the 70's, energy conservation was pushed and homeowners were encouraged to add insulation to their homes to keep heat in. The problem was that essentially sealing up the house led to indoor air pollution problems. Or, consider automobiles. A lot of manufacturers increased fuel efficiency by building their cars lighter. Problem is, cars became easier to demolish when crashed.

 

Politics too. Then President Carter decides to punish the Soviets for their invasion of Afghanistan by imposing a grain embargo. Uh, huh. Hurt our farmers more than it did the Soviets and some say this event led to the Farm Crisis during the 80's.

 

Seems the short term solution to problems is the culprit most likely due to the need for immediate profit. I wonder, if people are willing to pay exorbitant prices for bottled water then they'd be willing to allow the now plentiful tap water to be raised in price to match the true cost of keeping potable water clean? When everything's said and done, is it just a mtter of convenience?

[Figger_Eight]

In addition to such environmental harm in watersheds, bottled water causes more water to be used in making bottles. Producing one kilogram of PET [#1] plastic requires 17.5 kg of water and results in air emissions of hydrocarbons, sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide. And non-recycled plastic bottles can wind up right back in our watershed's streams and lakes, like salmon returning to spawn, in ever greater numbers. Whether there'll be enough water left for real salmon is anyone's guess.

[archenemy]

"Due to budget deficits and intensive lobbying from water companies, U.S. cities face increasing pressure to let private companies manage public water supplies, including water treatment and sewage lines, for promised savings."

 

Kinda like our politicians leasing off what we own to private companies for the sake of a quick buck. The article doesn't mention (and doesn't have to) that doing this with our water supply is no different than with our wood, our minerals, etc. I am not saying that we don't need the products, but they are indeed coming at a cost that the dollars are not covering. Our health is paying for it...

[archenemy]

"Due to budget deficits and intensive lobbying from water companies, U.S. cities face increasing pressure to let private companies manage public water supplies, including water treatment and sewage lines, for promised savings."

 

Kinda like our politicians leasing off what we own to private companies for the sake of a quick buck. The article doesn't mention (and doesn't have to) that doing this with our water supply is no different than with our wood, our minerals, etc. I am not saying that we don't need the products, but they are indeed coming at a cost that the dollars are not covering. Our health is paying for it...

 

Good articles to read, thanks for posting them.

[catbirdseat]

The latest battle is over perchlorate in drinking water. The military has dumped ammonium perchlorate from solid rocket fuel all over the place and most drinking water supplies have at least some of it present. It affects the functioning of the thyroid gland. I believe this is the chemical that was involved in the Erin Brockovich movie.

 

The big debate is one what is considered a "safe" level. EPA want one level while the military wants another. The lower level will cost four times in clean up costs.

[Stonehead]

Now I'm totally guessing here, but I was under the impression that utilities lose money. Doesn't seem like a money making business unless you can gouge the customers by sharply increasing prices. One thing that industry has going for it, though, we absolutely need our water. Isn't that why we have government regulations and regulators? To make sure that we're not given the shaft?

[archenemy]

As you know, utilities have undergone a painful transition over the last 10+ years. The recent loses in the NW are due to poor planning and a lack of understanding of economics and the current market (gleened that from the papers). I am not sure if we need to buy water any more than needing to buy electricity. I can go to a local river for a dose of girardia (I have no clue how to spell that, but I know the effect it has on my body) just the same as I can cut wood for my stove. Nonetheless, I believe that in a country this weathly, we should all have a right to heat our homes and slake our thirst without having to pay through the nose for those things. And I no longer understand what the gov't job is, I just know that they don't seem to be getting much done in the way of helping people.